April 6, 2015
Bidding a fond farewell to Norquay, Brewster and Castle Halls
An archived image of the interior of one of the residences in Norquay, Brewster and Castle halls.
University of Calgary Archives
Some of the fondest memories are tied to spaces and places where people have lived. Within the walls of residence buildings live years of memories, created through shared good times and tough times with old friends and new friends; memories that have been woven into the fabric of the campus community.
On Sunday, April 12, residence students at the University of Calgary will say goodbye and celebrate the legacy of three residence buildings — Norquay, Brewster and Castle Halls, affectionately referred to as NBC.
“These buildings were meant to have a short life cycle, and the university has done an amazing job of maintaining and extending their lifespan,” said Randy Maus, acting director, Ancillary Services.
Built prior to the 1988 Winter Olympics, the buildings' hallways, rooms and cozy living spaces have been home to many amazing students and athletes from all over the world during the past three decades.
As part of Residence Services’ commitment to value, maintaining good quality buildings and their dedication to responsible, smart and sustainable growth for students and the university, the decision was made to demolish them.
“The buildings’ increasing maintenance needs and renovations would cost millions of dollars,” said Maus. “In the spirit of ensuring value for our residences, while also maintaining our fiscal responsibility, we’ve opted to construct new LEED-certified buildings.”
As a way to say farewell to these historic structures, residence students will hold an NBC heritage festival in the green area between Olympus and Glacier residences.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to follow the trail that will lead them to the festival complete with food trucks, live music and fun activities including a tie-dye station, and the creation of both a goodbye gallery and a time capsule that will compile memories from past and present residence students as they lived in the buildings.
The festival will run from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, 2015; demolition of the buildings is set to begin on Friday, May 15, 2015.
More information on demolition of the buildings will be provided to the community as soon as it is available.