With some funding in the provincial budget for student housing, Selkirk College is looking two build two new facilities. President Angus Graeme says they’ve submitted a proposal for the Castlegar Campus as well as Silver King in Nelson. The proposal is for 100 beds in Castlegar and 40 in Nelson but alternative proposals that have been scaled back were submitted as well in case funding it tight. It would be the only on-campus housing offered on the Silver King Campus for apprenticeship students.
“It would be geared at those shorter training programs for levels two to four apprentice. Those are often six to 10 weeks and it’s really hard for students to find (housing) for that short a period of time.”
Graeme said the hope is to create a “village” on the Castlegar campus. The development is proposed to go near the one currently on site that was built in 1991. He adds it might help increase services available for students as well, such as expanded cafeteria hours or Sunday bus service if there’s most students there to use them.
He isn’t sure when they will hear back from the Province and adds that alternative proposals were sent that are smaller in scale and cost, in case funding is tight. The proposal includes a business plan outlining how the facilities would be constructed, run, and the financial commitment from both parties. The college would need to borrow for the project and would also look for assistance from the Province. In Graeme’s words it’s a “pretty compelling” business plan.
