McGill Residences (1981)

 

The three residence buildings in the complex, three storeys in height, are all of wood frame construction, with stucco exterior finish. They house, in total, about 180 students. Upon their completion, the university could offer residence accommodation to 1053 students.

Names

In 1983, this complex was named in honour of McGill University, with which Victoria College was affiliated from 1903 to 1915. Accordingly, the four residential complexes, from north to south (McGill, Craigdarroch, Lansdowne and Gordon Head), reflect the four main stages in the institution’s history in chronological order. The three units of the McGill Residences are named after individuals who served the university and the community at large.

 

Hugh R. Stephen, LLD., was born in Guildford, England, in 1913. Settling in Victoria in the 1930s, he became a prominent businessman in the city and has been unusually active in civic and community affairs. Mayor of Victoria from 1967 to 1969, he was also Chairman of the Capital Region Board. A longtime friend and supporter of the university, he was Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1979 to 1982.

 

Shirley Baker, B.Sc., received her degree in biology at the University of Saskatchewan. From 1945 to 1963, she resided in Tanzania, where she was director and secretary of a private business in mining and forestry. After serving as a teacher in Saanich, she joined the University of Victoria in 1966 to become Manager of Housing and Conference Services, retiring in 1983. Her great interest in CUSO led her to be its Regional Director for East and Central Africa from
1968 to 1970.

 

S. Joseph Cunliffe, B.A.Sc., LLD., P. Eng., was born in Port Haney, BC, in 1919. A UBC graduate, he became partner and president of Willis, Cunliffe, Tait and Company Ltd. of Victoria. A man noted for his extraordinary range of public service, he developed a particular commitment to higher education, serving as Chairman of the University of Victoria Board of Governors from 1973 to 1979, as Chairman of the University of Victoria Foundation and as a member of the Universities Council of British Columbia.

 

Facts and Figures

 

Architect: Siddall Dennis Warner
Mechanical: D. W. Thomson Consultants Ltd.
Electrical: Spratt & Associates
Contractor: Campbell Construction Ltd.
Contract: $1,944,279 (Jan. 26, 1981); $2,094,653
Gross area: 48,092 sq. ft.
Cost per square foot: $43.56
Building naming ceremony: June 21, 1983

 

See UVic's maps and buildings description.