Duke-of-Waterloo
02-22-2010, 11:12 AM
University of Waterloo School of Optometry Building Expansion
Architect: rounthwaite dick and hadley architects inc (http://www.rdharch.com/)
General Contractor: Bondfield Construction (http://www.bondfield.com/)
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5382/optomjoinjune.jpg
www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/history/2009-06-24-joined.jpg (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/history/2009-06-24-joined.jpg)
Optometry wing, resource centre to open
UW Daily Bulletin | Thursday, June 4, 2009
An eye-catching addition to the UW Optometry building, on the north side of Columbia Street, will officially open tomorrow, expanding the facilities for the optometry school’s teaching and research program in eye and vision care.
John Milloy, Ontario's minister of training, colleges and universities, will join Waterloo officials for the celebration tomorrow at 11:15 a.m.
"This is a wonderful milestone for the school of optometry, a research and education leader in North America," says UW president David Johnston. "Through the school's increased student enrolment and this new expanded facility, we will be better prepared to train optometrists to practice in an evolving profession and embrace their expanding role in family health care."
With the passing of new legislation, leaders of the school say, optometrists now will be able to practice in a manner more consistent with their education and training, including a central role in the management of glaucoma. This wider scope of optometric practice will make it easier for optometry students to obtain more of their training in Ontario, rather than travelling to other jurisdictions where optometrists were long ago granted prescribing privileges.
The 40,000-square-foot addition will accommodate the school's surge in enrolment. With a large atrium, the two-storey building expansion enhances the profile of the school. It includes a 125-seat lecture theatre, a new home for the museum of vision science, study rooms and quiet study rooms, expanded space for the TLC laser surgery centre, and the new Witer Learning Resource Centre.
In 2001, the optometry school began the process of gradually raising enrolment from 60 to 90 students for each year’s class. The growth strained the school's current facilities, which have remained virtually unchanged since the building opened in 1974, seven years after the College of Optometry of Ontario moved from Toronto to become part of UW.
To cope with the rise in enrolment, the school embarked on a $12.4 million fundraising campaign to support the expansion and renovation project. So far, $8 million has been raised through the support of alumni, friends and corporate partners.
"Through their passion and commitment toward the profession of optometry, the school continues to expand its profile and impact on the North American stage," says Thomas Freddo, director of the school. With the reality of higher construction costs, the school plans to extend its fundraising campaign to support the expansion and renovation of its facilities while ensuring critical funding for the clinical teaching program, the basis of optometric education.
Tomorrow morning’s ceremony is part of a big weekend for the optometry school, including the annual program of continuing education for practising optometrists; a parallel program for optometric assistants; the annual Woodruff Lecture, given this year by Judith West-Mays of McMaster University; the Clair Bobier lecture, given by UW faculty member William Bobier, UW optometry; and an alumni reunion dinner.
There will also be a dedication event for the Witer Learning Resource Centre at 6 p.m. Friday, at which family, friends and optometry colleagues will recognize a $500,000 gift from philanthropists Marta Witer and Ian Ihnatowycz. The gift is the largest donation the school has ever received from an alumnus.
"Marta's and Ian's passion and commitment to the school and the profession of optometry will help enhance optometric education and will ensure that we are prepared to embrace growth and change in optometry practices across Canada," says Freddo. "The Witer Learning Resource Centre, a hub of student activity and study, seems a fitting way to recognize this generous support of optometry."
The 4,000-square-foot facility is located on the second floor of a new addition to the school, which officially opens earlier in the day. The WLRC includes the main collection room, quiet study areas, study carrels and additional optometric education materials and resources. It plays a key role in student study practices and provides students with space, materials, technology and staff expertise to enhance their knowledge of optometry and pursue academic excellence.
"The profession of optometry has given me a fulfilling and dynamic career that has allowed me to work with patients to address the eye-care needs of my community," said Witer. "By giving back to my alma mater, I am acknowledging the meaningful educational experience I had here as a student but am also investing in the education of Canada's future optometrists."
Witer also helped lead her optometry colleagues from the class of 1979 in a special appeal to help support the school's expansion and renovation campaign, which raised more than $270,000. The class specifically supported the renovations of optometry's public clinic.
http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2009/jun/04th.html (http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2009/jun/04th.html)
Other pictures:
June 8, 2007
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6766/groundbreakingoptom.jpg
http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/GroundBreaking.jpg (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/GroundBreaking.jpg)
May 15, 2008
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1383/optommay152008.jpg
http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/gallery/image.php?file=Gallery%20Home%2FHand%20Held%2F2008-05%20Summer%2F2008-05-15-IMG_8642.JPG&scale=0 (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/gallery/image.php?file=Gallery%20Home%2FHand%20Held%2F2008-05%20Summer%2F2008-05-15-IMG_8642.JPG&scale=0)
Website Links:
Architect firm's Optometry Expansion Page (http://www.rdharch.com/education/school_of_optometry_waterloo/)
Expansion Plans Page (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/plans.html)
Expansion Renderings Page (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/renderings.html)
School of Optomerty Expansion Photo Page (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/gallery/?album=Gallery%20Home&page=1)
Architect: rounthwaite dick and hadley architects inc (http://www.rdharch.com/)
General Contractor: Bondfield Construction (http://www.bondfield.com/)
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5382/optomjoinjune.jpg
www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/history/2009-06-24-joined.jpg (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/history/2009-06-24-joined.jpg)
Optometry wing, resource centre to open
UW Daily Bulletin | Thursday, June 4, 2009
An eye-catching addition to the UW Optometry building, on the north side of Columbia Street, will officially open tomorrow, expanding the facilities for the optometry school’s teaching and research program in eye and vision care.
John Milloy, Ontario's minister of training, colleges and universities, will join Waterloo officials for the celebration tomorrow at 11:15 a.m.
"This is a wonderful milestone for the school of optometry, a research and education leader in North America," says UW president David Johnston. "Through the school's increased student enrolment and this new expanded facility, we will be better prepared to train optometrists to practice in an evolving profession and embrace their expanding role in family health care."
With the passing of new legislation, leaders of the school say, optometrists now will be able to practice in a manner more consistent with their education and training, including a central role in the management of glaucoma. This wider scope of optometric practice will make it easier for optometry students to obtain more of their training in Ontario, rather than travelling to other jurisdictions where optometrists were long ago granted prescribing privileges.
The 40,000-square-foot addition will accommodate the school's surge in enrolment. With a large atrium, the two-storey building expansion enhances the profile of the school. It includes a 125-seat lecture theatre, a new home for the museum of vision science, study rooms and quiet study rooms, expanded space for the TLC laser surgery centre, and the new Witer Learning Resource Centre.
In 2001, the optometry school began the process of gradually raising enrolment from 60 to 90 students for each year’s class. The growth strained the school's current facilities, which have remained virtually unchanged since the building opened in 1974, seven years after the College of Optometry of Ontario moved from Toronto to become part of UW.
To cope with the rise in enrolment, the school embarked on a $12.4 million fundraising campaign to support the expansion and renovation project. So far, $8 million has been raised through the support of alumni, friends and corporate partners.
"Through their passion and commitment toward the profession of optometry, the school continues to expand its profile and impact on the North American stage," says Thomas Freddo, director of the school. With the reality of higher construction costs, the school plans to extend its fundraising campaign to support the expansion and renovation of its facilities while ensuring critical funding for the clinical teaching program, the basis of optometric education.
Tomorrow morning’s ceremony is part of a big weekend for the optometry school, including the annual program of continuing education for practising optometrists; a parallel program for optometric assistants; the annual Woodruff Lecture, given this year by Judith West-Mays of McMaster University; the Clair Bobier lecture, given by UW faculty member William Bobier, UW optometry; and an alumni reunion dinner.
There will also be a dedication event for the Witer Learning Resource Centre at 6 p.m. Friday, at which family, friends and optometry colleagues will recognize a $500,000 gift from philanthropists Marta Witer and Ian Ihnatowycz. The gift is the largest donation the school has ever received from an alumnus.
"Marta's and Ian's passion and commitment to the school and the profession of optometry will help enhance optometric education and will ensure that we are prepared to embrace growth and change in optometry practices across Canada," says Freddo. "The Witer Learning Resource Centre, a hub of student activity and study, seems a fitting way to recognize this generous support of optometry."
The 4,000-square-foot facility is located on the second floor of a new addition to the school, which officially opens earlier in the day. The WLRC includes the main collection room, quiet study areas, study carrels and additional optometric education materials and resources. It plays a key role in student study practices and provides students with space, materials, technology and staff expertise to enhance their knowledge of optometry and pursue academic excellence.
"The profession of optometry has given me a fulfilling and dynamic career that has allowed me to work with patients to address the eye-care needs of my community," said Witer. "By giving back to my alma mater, I am acknowledging the meaningful educational experience I had here as a student but am also investing in the education of Canada's future optometrists."
Witer also helped lead her optometry colleagues from the class of 1979 in a special appeal to help support the school's expansion and renovation campaign, which raised more than $270,000. The class specifically supported the renovations of optometry's public clinic.
http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2009/jun/04th.html (http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2009/jun/04th.html)
Other pictures:
June 8, 2007
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6766/groundbreakingoptom.jpg
http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/GroundBreaking.jpg (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/images/GroundBreaking.jpg)
May 15, 2008
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1383/optommay152008.jpg
http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/gallery/image.php?file=Gallery%20Home%2FHand%20Held%2F2008-05%20Summer%2F2008-05-15-IMG_8642.JPG&scale=0 (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/gallery/image.php?file=Gallery%20Home%2FHand%20Held%2F2008-05%20Summer%2F2008-05-15-IMG_8642.JPG&scale=0)
Website Links:
Architect firm's Optometry Expansion Page (http://www.rdharch.com/education/school_of_optometry_waterloo/)
Expansion Plans Page (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/plans.html)
Expansion Renderings Page (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/renderings.html)
School of Optomerty Expansion Photo Page (http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/expansion/gallery/?album=Gallery%20Home&page=1)