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.
Scope and Content
Photograph is looking east and shows the exterior of Brandon University's steam generating plant located at 20th Street and Pacific Avenue beside the railroad tracks. McKenzie Seeds is visible in the background.
A $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant was opened on 07 April 2010. Located south of the steam plant on 20th Street by Darrach Hall, the building replaced the old Physical Plant occupying the World War II H-Huts. The new building serves as the hub for many campus operations, providing services from security and technical support, to building maintenance, deliveries, grounds keeping, cleaning, and capital project management.
Custodial History
Photograph is part of a series of campus images commissioned by the McKee Archives and Communications in the lead up to Brandon University's 50th Anniversary celebration.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the new Physical Plant building located on the west side of 20th Street, just north of Louise Avenue. The photograph is looking southwest and shows the exterior of the building, as well as part of the parking lot.
William Davies, a Baptist meat packer from Toronto, provided money for the construction of the Brandon College Building.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the interior of the Brandon College Chapel. The portraits on the back wall are of William Davies and his wife.
Notes
Negative enclosed.
Related Material
Letters of William Davies: Toronto 1854-1861, edited by William Sherwood Fox, is located in Rare Books (call number CT 310.D3A4). Fox was an Instructor at Brandon College from 1900 to 1909.
View is southwest from the front lawn. Photograph shows the Brandon College Buildings and a number of cars parked in front of it. An H-Hut and McMaster Hall are visible in the background.
View is northwest from the front lawn. Photograph shows the south side of the Brandon College Building, including scaffolding. J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre in the background.
The podium in the photograph is used during convocation.
Custodial History
Donated by D. Sumner.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the interior of the Brandon College Chapel, including the podium donated to Brandon College by McMaster University in 1900 and a portrait of Dr. A.P. McDiarmid.
Photograph of Brandon College cheerleaders and spectators. Seated behind the cheerleaders in the white angora hat is Jean Goodwin (faculty memeber). Cheerleaders (L to R): Doreen "Bunny" Fedoruk, Joyce Marie Thordarson (daughter of Professor B. Thordarson), Jerry Jerrett, Val Trent, Dorine Dennison
Portrait of the Brandon College cheerleaders taken in the gymnasium. L to R: Sharon Bailey, Pat Price, Wendy Cory, Georgina Duthie, Bev Boris, Julie Laverty, Sherry Hiscock.