Author Archives: Aldo Sdao

NEW Spaces – New College Building Updates

The Wilson Hall Lounge is one of the central gathering spaces for the New College community and the heart of college student life. This frequently used space has been redefined to be a more comfortable lounge that will include fun and functional furniture that allows students/guests to relax, study, eat lunch, and gather in groups. There will be chairs, bar stools, and tables for individuals who want to catch up on work, as well as an increased number of power outlets. This space features an opened-up ceiling to enhance the feeling of a large open space and the old lighting has been replaced with LED lighting. The popular Coffee Shed has also returned, after undergoing some modest renovations.

New Second Cup at 45 Willcocks!

New College is excited to announce that the new Second Cup in 45 Willcocks is now open!

Open from Monday to Friday, 9am – 4pm, the Second Cup is located in the atrium outside the William Doo Auditorium. Stop by, grab a coffee and a treat or a sandwich, and check out the newly finished atrium with lots of seating, plus the downstairs students spaces including music rooms, a multipurpose room, and of course, the the Gnu Lounge!

William Doo Auditorium Renovations

The newly renovated William Doo Auditorium supports the New College community as never before, with new spaces and resources which have been developed based on suggestions and feedback. Thanks to New College alumnus William Doo’s generous gift, 45 Willcocks and the ‘Doo’ is a showcase of how modern space should function.

A transformative one million dollars of Doo’s gift to New College was earmarked for the restoration and revitalization of the William Doo Auditorium, located in New College III at 45 Willcocks. This generous gift allowed for the re-invention and re-imagination of an important multi-purpose space. The auditorium is a hub of activity for New College, used for everything from lectures to conferences to alumni events to student movie nights.

The creation of ‘hangout steps’, serve as both seating for the William Doo Auditorium and an inviting place for students to gather. When the space is not in use for large events, the dividing wall of the auditorium can be closed, the new entrance to the auditorium opened and the steps will in effect become part of the atrium student lounge. By using steps instead of traditional seats, the atmosphere of this area will become more informal and inviting. Power outlets are placed at regular intervals along the risers of the steps to meet with the ever-growing need for charging stations; track doors allow flexible space configuration to meet the needs of varying sizes of groups; and two separate AV systems allow for simultaneous multi-space use. As is the case in all current projects underway at New College, accessibility issues are at the forefront. Primary access to the auditorium will now be from the main floor of the building; a lift will make all levels of the auditorium accessible to those with mobility issues; and both AV systems will have audio assist capabilities. As well, both the auditorium and the multi-purpose room have been designed to properly accommodate smudging ceremonies. Inquire at nc.roombookings@utoronto.ca!

Bike Share Toronto and New Bike Racks

Spadina and Willcocks Bike Share Station

Getting around Toronto in an environmentally friendly fashion is important for a lot of downtown residents including our summer guests! The City of Toronto has implemented a series of Bike Share stations around the city that make getting around a breeze. Conveniently for our guests, there is a Bike Share station right at Spadina and Willcocks to get around downtown hassle free.

Bike Share Station

Bike Share Prices

Also added to 40 Willcocks Street were new bike racks to help accommodate all our cyclists that stay at New College during the summer.

New Bike Stations

Plaza Project Renovation

“Plaza Project” Willcocks Street Renovation

The long anticipated Plaza Project was completed this year and it looks great! The renovation included the removal of the previous sidewalk, the installation of a new stone sidewalk with a canopy structure and seating. There is also new lighting added which gives the space a nice glow at night. This hot spot creates a great photo backdrop for our residents and those just passing by!

All New Smart TVs in Communal Rooms

All Residence Communal Rooms

This year we removed all of our older television sets and replaced them with brand new smart TVs! These new Smart TVs include applications such as Netflix, Youtube and Prime Video.

These Smart TVs also connect via USB, so you can connect your laptop or other smart devices.

Wilson Hall Common Room

Completed Renovations for Summer 2018

Each year, New College commits to many renovation projects to ensure our residences and surrounding area stay up to date and address our resident concerns and suggestions. This past year, the following projects were completed:

45 Willcocks Residence

Improvements have been made to all the communal rooms in our 45 Willcocks Residence. Exciting additions includes new cabinets, countertops, an island table and brighter lights.

45 Willcocks Common Kitchen

45 Willcocks Common Room

Wetmore Hall Residence

This year we had the opportunity to replace all the dorm room doors on the 2nd floor of Wetmore Hall.. The new doors were also painted along with the hallways and dorm rooms to provide a modern and welcoming environment.

New 2nd Floor Wetmore Doors

Completed Renovations from Summer 2015

Each year, New College commits to many renovation projects to ensure our residences stay up to date and address our resident concerns and suggestions. This past summer 2015, the following projects were completed:

4th Floor – Wilson Hall Residence

Besides painting the entire floor, improvements have been made to the 4th floor Wilson Hall shared washrooms. Exciting additions include new glass shower stalls, new flooring, and brighter pot lights.

6th Floor – Wilson Hall Residence

The 6th floor common room in Wilson Hall now features plush comfy couches and a 70” flat screen TV. The common kitchen appliances are upgraded to a stainless steel fridge, stainless steel oven and modern flat stove tops. The extra counter space and cabinetry is an added bonus for guests who frequently use the kitchen.

We will continue similar upgrades to other floors at New College as needed on a yearly basis. New College is committed to holding our facilities and services to the highest standards. We look forward to continuing to share with you updates of the progress of our ongoing renovation projects!

Wi-Fi for Summer 2015

As part of the our continuous efforts to improve the guest experience, New College is pleased to offer free Wi-Fi Internet Access in most guest rooms, meeting spaces, and common areas. This complimentary service will be in effect starting May 4, 2015.

New College recognizes the importance of providing complimentary wireless Internet access to our guests and visitors. Whether relaxing in one of our common rooms or kicking back in the comfort of your room, surfing the web just got easier and cheaper!

Wired network connectivity will remain available in all guest rooms. Guests can connect to the Internet using an Ethernet cable. Forgot to bring an Ethernet cable? No problem, we offer Ethernet cables at the front desk (for a fee).

For more information and to obtain the wireless password, please see the Front Desk on arrival.

Charging Stations in NEW Lounges

This past winter, New College introduced electronic device charging stations in the three main lounges (Wetmore Lounge, Wilson Hall Lounge, and 45 Willcocks Atrium). Guests can now stay connected to their family, friends, and work without facing the daily struggles of finding a power outlet or adapter for free.

The charging stations are compatible with most electronic platforms including laptops, iPhones, Blackberry, Android, iPad, Kindle and digital cameras.