Mac needs to determine its maximum capacity
Published: February 13, 2007
By Rob Payne, President, Ainslie Wood/Westdale Community Association of Resident Homeowners Inc.
The Hamilton Spectator (Jan 29, 2007)
Re: 'Enrolment drop? Not at Mac; Double cohort will graduate, but applications are expected to remain high' (Jan. 23)
This story outlining McMaster University's expectations of continued growing demand for university education until 2033 highlights the need to set a "carrying capacity" for the Westdale main campus.
Currently, there are city-led planning processes underway in the surrounding community to address future demands for our primary schools, purpose-built student housing and transportation.
An important missing metric in this planning is the ultimate size of the Westdale McMaster campus. Joint planning between the city and the university to determine the main campus population capacity is critical if we are to maintain a vibrant and balanced surrounding community.
There is no doubt the university will continue to grow. Overcrowding the main campus at the expense of the surrounding community to absorb this growth should not be an option.
Author: Rob Payne