CREDIT: PROJECTED IMAGES
Repurposing Kingsmill into a Fanshawe building could be one of the many topics discussed at each World Cafe.

Fanshawe College will be hosting a series of group discussions (called World Cafés) about the campus Master Plan and is seeking the help of employees and students.

The Master Plan is the college’s “road map” that guides how to use the land Fanshawe has and how to develop buildings.

Harry Bakker, executive director of Facilities Management and Community Safety, is excited to get this rolling.

“The thing now is [that] the collective intelligence is a key piece,” he said. “Getting different views and different perspectives [will] help us understand in a different person’s lens what we might be missing [in our Master Plan].”

“Some of the key things is either [you] want to place a residence where you want to have a future academic building or put an athletics building,” Bakker said. “You want to plan it out, so you put the right pieces of the puzzle in the right places based on what you know the future could be.”

Expansion is what Bakker is looking at, and instead of expanding outward, he suggested an alternative.

“We have a couple of buildings that are single storey that really need to be repurposed into multi-storey facilities,” he said. “We need to keep a balance of what the learning spaces are and what the social spaces are, whether it’s building or green scape or landscape or outdoor athletic spaces and recreational spaces.”

“We’re concentrating on expanding upward but that doesn’t mean we aren’t looking at expanding outward where it’s strategically feasible.”

The purpose of the World Cafés is to facilitate the inclusion of different parties who want their voices heard.

“Usually what happens is common themes distill through [the sessions] that help us with focusing on those answers,” said Bakker. “We’ll consider how those themes can be fitted into the Plan.”

“We won’t be able to deal with every mechanical issue or maintenance issue, but it’s looking at the broad spectrum and broad perspectives to how we’re utilizing things effectively and efficiently.”

This is the first time the college has ever conducted World Cafés, and Bakker knows it’s worked at other institutions.

“We’re looking forward to getting some good feedback and setting some good input,” he said. “We’ll look to see how we can continue to improve the planning process in the future.”

Though the Master Plan might not affect current students, Bakker hopes the future is what motivates people to participate.

“It’s not about today but it’s about the future,” he said. “It gives a bigger opportunity for someone now to help the student [of] tomorrow, making it a learning environment for them.”

Refreshments and food will be served at each of the World Café sessions, and participants will be gifted a coupon for a free coffee. Participants will also be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of two iPad Minis. To learn more or sign up for sessions, visit www.fanshawec.ca/ masterplan.