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.
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.
