Shirley Douglas visits the McKee Archives to look at materials conerning her father The Honourable T.C. Douglas. Photograph depicts Ms. Douglas and Tom Mitchell (University Archivist) in the Archives Reading Room, John E. Robbins Library.
View is east southeast from the road between Clark Hall and the A.E. McKenzie Building. Photograph shows the west side of Clark Hall and the old Physical Plant H-Hut that was connected to Clark Hall.
Library Reading Room, looking north, 2nd floor McKenzie Building. Naming of the Library (foreground) L to R: Robert Campbell (student),; Stanley Knowles, M.P & Chancellor
Library Reading Room looking North, 2nd floor McKenzie Building. Naming of the Robbins Library and opening of the Lightbody reading area. L-R: Stanley Knowles, M.P. Chancellor, Dr. D. N. Wheeler, Chairman of the Faculty Library Committee, Georgia (Lightbody) Whitman, Dr. John E. Robbins, Dr. A. L. Dulmage
Donkersloot began working at Brandon University in 1970/1971 as the Clerk of Works. From 1973 until his retirement, he was the Director of Physical Plant.
The 1960s campus expansion necessitated a large, updated heat source so a central steam plant fueled by coal was built north of the campus adjacent to the CPR rail lines on Pacific Avenue. A 25-year agreement was made between the University and John R. Brodie of the Great West Coal Company, which guaranteed BU lower coal prices tendered by the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways on an annual basis. Brandon College Engineer John Kasiurak officially opened the Heating Plant on 24 January 1962. An extension and/or upgrade of the steam plant appears to have occurred in 1970.
Until the 1990s, heat was piped underground to the campus from the Pacific Avenue Heating Plant but inspection standards were outpacing the maintenance and repairs required to keep the plant operating smoothly. Consequently, a new steam plant was built immediately adjacent to the University to the west of Darrach Hall on 20th Street. This building was essential to handling additional loads from the proposed library expansion. The original steam plant was subsequently sold.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by Tom Donkersloot during construction and stored in albums in the Physical Plant H-Hut until they were transfered to the McKee Archives by Doug Duncalf in May 2008.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Brandon University's completed coal steam plant at 20th Street and Pacific Avenue. Photograph is looking northeast. The Towers apartment building is visible in the background.
Notes
Donkersloot recorded the date and time each photograph was taken on the back of the photos.
