Cadboro Commons Building (1969)

Dining, Recreation, Offices

 

This project consisted of two separate buildings constructed under one contract during 1968 and 1969. The major section, a Commons building, is a two-storey reinforced concrete building, with exterior of exposed concrete and stone. It was designed to provide food facilities and recreation space for students in residence (in 1969, Craigdarroch and Lansdowne Colleges). Its main feature is a large dining hall that can be subdivided by a sliding partition. The other section of this project, located across a bridge to the north of the Commons block, was a building designed to provide study areas and administrative offices for Craigdarroch College. After the college system was discontinued, these offices were assigned to other university purposes.

Name

Popularly known merely as the "Commons Block," this building derives its formal name from Cadboro Bay, the body of water that lies below and to the east of the Gordon Head campus, at the foot of Sinclair Road. The original Cadboro was a small (72 ton) English schooner in the early 19th century Pacific coastal trade.

Facts and Figures

Architect: Siddall, Dennis & Associates
Structural: Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
Mechanical: F. T. Gardiner, P. Eng.
Electrical: Spratt & Associates
Food Services: Keith Little Associates Western Ltd., [Richmond]
Contractor: Marwell Construction Ltd., [Vancouver], [Dillingham Corporation Canada Ltd., Marwell Division]
Contract: $1,703,667 (Jan. 17, 1968); $1,701,880
Gross area: 64,184 sq. ft. (55,772, Commons; 8,412 Study Office)
Cost per square foot: $26.52
Official opening: February 25, 1969, by Dr. Joseph B. Clearihue

 

See UVic's maps and buildings description.