Details released on new U of R residence

Officials have unveiled plans for a $73.7 million residence at the University of Regina.

The building, to open in the fall of 2015, will have beds for 605, a daycare with space for 90 children and an underground parkade with room for 150 cars.

The tower will be built just east of the current Language Institute complex on the main campus.

The building will be home for first-year students and will have a very similar look to an existing residence on campus.

The province has committed $11 million for the project.

The president of the U of R, Vianne Timmons, saidofficials had asked for twice that amount from the government.

"We would have liked more," Timmons said. "But it is 605 beds that we don't have right now. Which is important."

Timmons also saidthe lack of affordable housing in Regina and hard to findchild care can be "significant barriers to education" for students.

The university will also borrow money,$53 million, to finance the construction.

Combined with the government's funding,the total$64 millionfalls short of the overall cost.

Officials were not clear on how the university and the province would sort out the financial gap.

Right now the university has over 1,200 students living on campus, about ten per cent of the overall student population.

Work will begin, next week, when some trees will be moved.

The new building will be constructed on an existing parking lot which will put 150 parking stalls out of commission.

Timmons said a parking areabuilt in 2012 will help alleviate the loss of those stalls until the new underground parkade opens.

Shesaid the university will work withthe city's transit department on better bus service.