Students take part in Church Street construction

Construction continues on the Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, Ryerson’s new building on Church Street, and students are taking part in the project.

On November 9, students from Ryerson’s Faculty of Community Services (opens in new window)  (FCS) participated in painting a section of a mural that will decorate the building, designed by artist Tom Froese and created with input from FCS. The painting day was a collaborative project between FCS, University Relations, and Housing & Residence Life.

“We painted a mural of things that the new building will represent in the Toronto community,” said Joel Pinto, third-year nursing student. “It has all of the programs in the Faculty of Community Services, places like St. Michael’s Hospital, athletic pictures, and more.”

“It was nice because we just got to hang out for a few hours and talk with students from different years and programs,” said Deighton Edwards, second-year social work student. “It’s an opportunity most of us wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.”

Students who participated are part of the Your Neighbour (external link, opens in new window)  program, in which residence students participate in on- and off-campus initiatives/community programs that correspond with Ryerson’s academic plan (opens in new window) .

After the students painted a section of the mural, it was installed as part of the hoarding around the construction site.

The podium will house Ryerson’s Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing (opens in new window) ; Midwifery Education (opens in new window) ; the School of Nutrition (opens in new window) ; the School of Occupational and Public Health (opens in new window) ; University Relations (opens in new window) ; University Advancement; and a Fabrication Zone. The 18 storey residential tower will also be home to a residence community that will accommodate 332 students in 100 residential units. “It’s one place where all the FCS students can come together that’s also right on campus,” said Pinto. “We all have a place where we can call home.”

The building is an example of Ryerson’s commitment to city-building, and the social impact of FCS. “Both Faculty of Community Services and residences just scream community to me,” said Edwards. “When we’re looking at the new building, I think within it there’s going to be so much collaboration and so many people working together and such people-focused work that it’ll just be an amazing space for innovation.”

The building is scheduled to open in 2018.