Renovations on schedule at Windsor armouries

By Zander Kelly

University students are about to bring music to the Windsor armouries.

The former armouries, located on Freedom Way, have been under heavy renovations to make way for the University of Windsor to move in with their music program, while a brand new building for the visual arts programs will be built on the site of the former Tunnel BBQ restaurant.

John Coleman, director of public relations at the University, said construction of the new facilities and renovation of the armouries are coming along just as planned and that classes will be ready to begin next fall.

The new facilities will feature “state-of-the-art” classrooms and a performance hall that will seat approximately 150 people. The new buildings will bring about 500 new university students to the downtown core, adding to the populations at the St.Clair College Centre for the Arts, the St.Clair College Mediaplex and the University of Windsor’s school of social work.

“It is great that the university has been able to repurpose historical sites such as the old Windsor Star building and now the Armouries,” said Coleman.

The project manager on site is David Lester. “It’s a 115-year-old building and so there’s lots of surprises,” said Lester. “While there have been setbacks due to this, construction will be done in time.”

Noah Renaud is a first year music student at the university studying jazz, pop and upright bass. He said while he enjoys the current facilities, he is excited about the more downtown-centralized location.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Renaud. “It’s got a good location. It looks like they’re going to keep that old look, but do it very well.”

Coleman said the official name for the new campus and what will be offered in addition to the existing programs will be announced in coming months.