The UTSC is currently undertaking preparations for its fiftieth anniversary celebrations and the opening of the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.
Most of the fiftieth anniversary events will take place throughout the fall semester; however, an anniversary pub night is planned for July 17 at the Miller Lash House, an event venue owned and operated by UTSC.
In 1964, UTSC was established as a constituent college of the Faculty of Arts & Science. In honour of its anniversary this year, UTSC has established the 50th Anniversary Legacy Fund, totaling $50,000. Until October 6, the fund will be accepting proposals from students, staff, and faculty for projects that enhance the campus profile and contribute to a successful anniversary celebration. Selected proposals will be announced on October 27.
David Peterson, chancellor emeritus of U of T, has been announced as the honourary chair of the anniversary celebrations. Peterson served as premier of Ontario from 1985 to 1990, and was appointed U of T’s thirty-second chancellor in 2006.
Scarborough’s campus continues to grow, with its student population having more than doubled in the past 10 years.
UTSC students will soon benefit from the brand-new Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, scheduled to open in September. Located at the corner of Military Trail and Morningside Avenue, the centre will host the aquatics, fencing, and modern pentathlon events of the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.
The facility will house two Olympic-sized pools, a dive tank, a four-court gymnasium, an indoor running track, and a rock-climbing wall. The 44,000 square foot structure is the largest investment in amateur sports development in Canada.
Students, faculty, staff, and community members will have full access to the facilities before and after the games. As part of the Pan/Parapan American Games preparations, students will also be offered opportunities related to their programs of study, such as internships and coaching programs.
Since the Pan Am Centre is jointly owned by U of T and the City of Toronto, an official grand opening cannot take place until after the municipal election.
Meanwhile, on July 11 and 12, a free event at Nathan Phillips Square will mark the one-year countdown to the games. The celebration will feature live music from artists such as Walk off the Earth, appearances by athletes, and fireworks.
UTSC’s Student Centre also celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The construction of the Student Centre was a project initiated and funded by students in 2004. It earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, as well as a Green Design award from the City of Toronto. The building is currently used by the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU), along with a number of other student services.
The SCSU is currently in the midst of planning various events to commemorate these occasions.
