It’s easy to ignore the importance of urban planning in our lives and easier yet to ignore how it affects our lives as students. That being said, there might be ways to improve the organization of the built environment in and around the University of Saskatchewan campus.

A University Affairs article by U of S urban planning student Shannon McAvoy discusses how some of the aspects of university design may negatively affect the student learning experience.

One of these aspects is the tendency for universities to be vast, sprawling spaces, spreading development out over large areas. This creates spaces and buildings that may be inaccessible, and worse yet, unsafe.

One solution to this problem is to centre new construction of university buildings within an existing core. In other words, to increase density. Having more services and buildings located within a smaller area reduces commute times, increases public safety and consumes less land space. While I believe that the U of S is currently doing a great job of this, the next step is to improve connectivity of existing infrastructure.

With improvements in density and centrality potentially improving the layout of university lands, another item of consideration is the improvement of student study spaces themselves. The major libraries at the U of S currently offer great and safe places for students to study, but could they possibly do more?

Some students may study well in the confining cubicles placed beneath the dreary fluorescent lighting of the Murray Library, but others might prefer or even require a more relaxed environment for learning.

For example, the relatively new expansions to the south side of St. Thomas More College offers up limited seating areas in a mildly lit open atrium, comfortably adorned with greenery and bistro style tables and chairs. If it would be useful to enough students, more areas like this throughout campus might create a more productive and healthy learning environment for many.    

These are but a few suggestions for improving the spaces and connectivity of various areas at the university, but what about the areas surrounding campus? One of the biggest issues facing urban planners in North American cities is that of urban sprawl and how to prevent and reverse it.

Urban sprawl occurs when new development frequently takes place on the isolated outer fringes of a city, often in the form of mainly residential suburbs. Some problems associated with urban sprawl are longer commute times, reduced physical and mental health, vehicular congestion and pollution.

A possible solution to this issue may be the future consideration of constructing more high-density student living spaces near the university. While it is not strictly intended for student occupation, there is in fact a current proposal for the development of a mixed use community to be built near the intersection of College Drive and Cumberland Avenue.

If this project comes to fruition, it would provide the opportunity for many more students to seek accommodation closer to the university, while simultaneously adding to the university’s revenue stream.

In sum, it’s clear that the U of S is currently working hard to consider many aspects of effective urban planning within the campus community. Nonetheless, it’s still important for students to be aware of where improvements can be made and to voice their opinions when it comes to effective planning practices within the university environment.

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Bodan Worobetz

Graphic: Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor