College creating new science lab at Ottawa campus

The Ottawa campus will undergo a major capital project involving the transformation of the A-building into a state-of-the-art science lab.

The main entrance of the lab will be next to the old varsity college gym where the women’s and men’s changing rooms use to be. There will be three biosafety level 2 labs, two chemistry labs, ancillary spaces and a research area. The transformation will impact students from multiple schools within Algonquin College.

The new science labs will provide students with hands-on high tech experience with the latest scientific equipment. The major capital project is expected to be completed by August 2025.

“Through government grants, the college has the ability to maintain, enhance or renovate the college. Many of theses projects can exceed $1 million,” said Mohamed Zeid, senior project manager of Facilities Development and Facilities Management.

“The new science lab project is an exceptionally specialized project,” said Dr. Simon Spooner, associate director of facilities.

“The project goes to tender which is a construction bidding process. Tender allows companies that have the specialized ability to perform this type of renovations to bid on the job. It is a very intricate project. Tender presents the project to companies that want to do the work and with the process of elimination a candidate is selected to do the job,” said Spooner.

The first part in the project removes the changing rooms.

“We are ripping out all the concrete floors, and changing the plumbing to suit the science lab. All of the showers are coming out and we are putting in new plumbing. We are not a plumbing company, we do everything,” said Ryan Baker, equipment operator for Cavanagh Construction.

The project is part of broader initiatives at Algonquin College.

The student residence buildings will also see an upgrade in the mechanical systems, according to Zeid.

“The heating and cooling ventilation systems will get a substantial upgrade. This will generate better air quality and temperature stability throughout the building during those hot days or cold nights,” said Jamie Hopkins, manager of Facilities Management.

Facilities Management is also working on demolition in P-building for rooms P207 and P209. They are converting office spaces into an immersive lab.

“A immersive lab is a room where they can simulate different situations such as forest fires and/or operating room scenarios. Video can be protected on the wall to add to the simulation, its purpose is for training,” said Dale Bullock, superintendent of GRAEBECK Construction.

The college’s website has details about other renovation and construction projects. Announcements are regularly updated to keep the students informed of interruptions and deadlines.