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A new hub for student life at Mount Royal
One of the most exciting changes to our campus in many years is almost here. The Sam Taylor Student Commons (STSC) is transforming G-wing into a vibrant, accessible hub for student services, learning and connection, bringing together spaces and resources designed to enrich the student experience at Mount Royal.
STSC is scheduled to begin welcoming the campus community on Monday, Nov. 30 with the opening of Sam Plaza and Student Central, a new starting point for students seeking support, answers and connection to campus services. Students can visit Student Central for help with registration, fees, financial aid, student records and other common questions.
The Nov. 30 opening marks the first phase of welcoming students and employees into the renewed space. Additional services and departments will move in over the coming weeks, activating the classrooms, group rooms, multi-purpose rooms and more. Bookable spaces, including flexible spaces that prioritize student and student-focused use, will be available in the new year, when the space is expected to be fully operational.
What's inside?
STSC brings together student services, academic spaces and welcoming places to gather, study and connect. Along with Student Central, the renewed space will be home to Career Services, Early Support, the Global Student Lounge, Community and Belonging, Alumni and other University departments and resources.
In addition to the above student-focused services, we can look forward to:- The home of Student Central located on The Avenue, a new north-south corridor that will intersect Main Street
- A new gateway to Iniskim Centre
- Ample gathering space in Sam Plaza, with flexible seating and new microwave areas
- An Indigenous art gallery wall and dedicated land acknowledgement space
- Two enlarged Geology labs
- Three large classrooms
- Two multi-purpose spaces on Level 2 overlooking the Sam Plaza
- Washrooms on both levels of Main Street, gendered and all-gender (now open)
- Flexible appointment rooms available to all MRU employees, and that can be booked by students outside of business hours (coming in 2027)
- Overall improved accessibility throughout the space, including a new elevator
Student services are moving to Student Central
Beginning Nov. 30, Student Central will offer in-person support for registration, fees, financial aid, student records and other common questions. Located in STSC, this new way of approaching student support will help students find answers and connect with the resources they need.
As services transition to the new space, in-person support at the Office of the Registrar will be reduced beginning Nov. 30, with the last of the existing service counters closing Dec. 24.
Looking for support? Visit Student Services online, use the Contact and Resource Finder or connect with Student Central beginning Nov. 30.
Photo 1: Cabinetry is ready for countertops to be installed in a Geology lab on Level 2.
Photo 2: This classroom on Level 2 is ready for final finishes before furniture is moved in.
Photo 3: This group room on Level 1 overlooks the T-wing courtyard. Another group room next door shares a similar view.
Photo 4: Looking down into Sam Plaza from Level 2 gives a sense of the soaring space that will become a central gathering hub for the campus community.
Photo 5: Work continues outside the Sam Taylor Student Commons. In October, new pathways and landscaping are being installed.
Photo 6: In July, work continued on the area by the elevator on Level 2 of the Avenue, including installation of floor tiles and the ceiling system.
October 2026: What's happening with the project?
Construction on the Sam Taylor Student Commons (STSC) continues to move through the final finishing stages, following the reopening of renovated sections of Main Street and new washrooms for campus use in September. These areas offer the campus community its first glimpse of the transformation taking place behind the construction fencing. With these spaces now open, crews are focused on completing classrooms, student services areas, labs and gathering spaces throughout the space.
On Level 2, whiteboards, lighting, doors and acoustic ceilings are being installed, while glass walls in the multi-purpose rooms are nearing completion. Flooring protection is being removed in some areas as crews begin cleaning and final inspections. On Level 1, finishing work continues in the Student Plaza, where installation of acoustic wall panels is getting underway. Lockers are being installed in the staff lounge, lighting is being activated throughout the floor and the final walls in the Work Integrated Learning labs are being completed.
With construction activity continuing at a brisk pace (there can be up to 100 workers on site at a time), the transformation of G-wing into the STSC is becoming increasingly visible. Over the coming weeks, crews will focus on completing interior finishes, and preparing spaces for furniture and equipment installation. Each step brings Mount Royal closer to welcoming students and employees into a vibrant new hub for student services, learning, connection and campus life.
As construction moves through these final stages, teams across campus are also preparing for the transition into the new space, including moves, IT and A/V readiness.
Background
Where we started
The 2016 Campus Master Plan identified the opportunity to repurpose the vacated library space in the G-wing along Main Street to create a new student centre that would also host a gathering space. With $50 million in capital funding from the provincial government and $15 million in private funding from the Don and Ruth Taylor family (the Taylor Family Foundation), this much-needed renovation converts unusable areas of the old library and Conservatory into modern and functional spaces with a student-centred purpose. The first phase of this work — four new classrooms in W-wing as well as study spaces and washrooms — is complete and being used by students.
Getting underway
The G-wing project involves the two-storey former library space along Main Street and addresses approximately 4,700 m² of programmable space, including Science & Technology labs on the first and second floors. An initial functional program — a process that aligns the space with its intended functions — led to a schematic design for the project. In 2022, the University re-engaged with the primary stakeholders, who make up the Project Users’ Group, to ensure the design still met the needs of students and employees.
In addition to the Project Users’ Group, a Steering Committee, composed of University leadership, and an Operations Committee, with representatives from Facilities Management, Finance and University Advancement, were part of this review. These groups work with Colliers Project Leaders, project managers of the G-wing renovation, Stuart Olson Construction Ltd. and the Calgary studio of DIALOG, the architectural firm that designed the space.
Revalidation: Users have their say
The Project Users’ Group — made up of representatives from the Students Division, the primary service providers in the space, as well as Facilities Management, University Advancement and others — revalidated the functional program. This group determined how we can best deliver a student-focused, integrated service delivery model in the old library space. By identifying key aspects in the student journey — from arrival to exit — they kept the focus on the most efficient, innovative and engaging way to serve our students.
This information was used to create a schematic design report that outlined the functional aspirations and translated them into a physical drawing of the space. The University reviewed the report, as well as estimated efforts to assess the project cost. The project team reviewed the estimates and implemented design revisions from the cost savings list that was developed in parallel.
The report was updated in response to feedback, and the final version submitted to the Government of Alberta in November 2023. Once this report was completed, the next phase began: detailed design work.
Design development phase
The design development phase — which finalizes layout design — lasted from November 2023 through April 2024. During design development, additional details were added to the drawings such as structural components, access, electrical, flooring and plumbing. The floor plans and elevations completed as a part of this phase provided a vision for the finished space and how it will function.
To facilitate effective user engagement during the design development phase, various working groups were established.This allowed users of the space to provide comprehensive input into the technology, furniture and finishes of the space. These G-wing committees — Technology Working Group, Furniture Working Group and Finishes Working Group — reviewed the Design Development Draft Report and provided feedback to DIALOG in order to meet the submission deadline to the Government of Alberta.
Construction phase
After construction documents reflecting the finalized design were created, tenders for the various scopes of work that make up the construction were put out and applications submitted for applicable building permits. Construction began in spring 2025.
Timeline
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Schematic design
June – November 2023
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Design development
November 2023 – April 2024
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Construction documents
April – December 2024
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Construction procurement
February – March 2025
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Construction, deficiency correction and occupancy
March 2025 – Fall 2026
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Key opening dates
Sept. 7: New washrooms and renovated Main Street areas open; Nov. 30: Sam Taylor Student Commons soft opening, including Sam Plaza and Student Central; January 2027: Additional spaces and services become available; Commons fully operational.
Contact us
This project is overseen by Facilities Management with the leadership of the Vice-President of Finance and Administration. Email gwingrenovation@mtroyal.ca with any questions.