Campaign News

Wayne King, SAIT CFO and Vice President, Answers Your Questions

What a year it has been for the Trades and Technology Complex. A few short months ago there were six construction cranes over SAIT. They are gone and construction of the Complex is nearing completion. Wayne King, CFO and Vice President of Capital and Corporate Services, SAIT Polytechnic, answers some questions about progress on SAIT’s remarkable new education facilities.

What will the new Trades and Technology Complex mean to SAIT Polytechnic?

The Complex is the realization of the vision of SAIT and leadership of our President and CEO Irene Lewis that will support trades and technology education into the 21st Century. 

At 740,000 square feet, it’s the biggest expansion in the history of SAIT Polytechnic and will make room for up to an additional 8,100 full time, part time and apprenticeship students each year. It will house the MacPhail School of Energy, the School of Construction and the School of Manufacturing and Automation. It will also include the Enerplus Centre for Innovation and the Career Exploration Centre.

The Trades and Technology Complex will redefine the way we teach our students. It was designed for maximum flexibility to meet the demands of our programs. When a sector of industry tells us they need more of our graduates with particular skills we can adjust our new classrooms and workshops to accommodate changes to curriculum. That is very difficult and expensive to accomplish in our older buildings.

The Complex will give SAIT a higher profile in Calgary. The new buildings are modern and world-class. Tens of thousands of people who drive down 16th Avenue N. will see our hardworking students through the glass walls of the uniquely shaped Aldred Centre. Every day Calgarians will get a first-hand look at what SAIT is all about.

But when all is said it done, it’s not about the buildings. They’re first-rate and modern but more importantly the new Trades and Technology Complex will allow us to do what we do best, that’s educate and train more students.

How far along is it?

I am pleased to report that construction of the Complex is on time and on budget.

We have a great general contractor, PCL; and our architectural firm Gibbs Gage has done a wonderful job as have our consultants. Our sub trades have also done outstanding work. To date, we have passed 185 milestones during construction. They met each one.

One building – the soon-to-be-named South Wing – is already open to students and staff.  Instructors have moved in and we are conducting classes. Plus Tim Horton’s has opened its second SAIT location. Our next step is to complete the plan and install the unique power engineering lab in the coming year.

The two largest buildings – Aldred Centre and the Johnson-Cobbe Energy Centre are officially scheduled to open September 5, 2012 when the new school year begins. (Actually, some parts will be open August 28th when our first set of apprentices arrives.)

The project also includes a major renovation of the Thomas Riley Building which will include relocating carpentry students and tile setters to the “Riley” on our campus from the Bob Edwards building in Mayland Heights. The renovation will happen in 2013, once we have the space free.