Observatory stops operations as a pub, switches to rental-only

Another affordable lunch spot has disappeared from the Algonquin College campus and without any announcement, students are feeling sold short.

According to the Algonquin Students’ Association, the Observatory will only be available for rentals, rather than operating as the daily campus pub it once was. The Ob was also only open for rentals during the spring term.

“Going forward, the Observatory will be used as an event space and for rentals,” said Chris Lackner, the SA’s senior manager of communications, in an emailed response.

“The SA’s day-to-day hospitality services on Ottawa Campus will be exclusive to the Wolves Den Restaurant and Games Room and Starbucks. This shift in focus at the Observatory comes as the SA continues to assess changes in student behaviour and on-campus traffic.”

Some students feel left out by the news. They did not receive notice of the semester-long closure, other than a sign taped to the door. There is no word yet on the Ob’s future and with no reason from the SA as to why the closure remains, students want to know if the rental-only operation will be permanent.

Ola Madamidola, a mechanical engineering technology student, has noticed a pattern of closures around the college.

“It’s a shame to have just another dead room on campus,” he said.

A statement from the SA to staff on Sept. 10 said the Wolves Den has updated its menu to include some campus favourites from the Observatory, including the crispy chicken sandwich, Nashville chicken sandwich, buffalo chicken sandwich, Ob Burger (renamed Den Burger), buffalo chicken poutine, grilled cheese and bacon and avocado grilled cheese.

Business alumni Alex Markus, who was a longtime bartender at the Wolves Den and the Observatory, said he noticed changes in business throughout his summer term bartending at the Ob.

“The events were usually pretty busy because it was booked, but I did notice there wasn’t as many events, like it was not booked up enough,” he said.

“I was still getting regular shifts, just no customers. Then they moved us all to the Wolves Den and only certain shifts for events at the Ob would come available.”