The Grad House referendum: Success!

I am glad to report that the unofficial referendum results are 261 YES versus 235 NO, which means the Grad House project will go ahead.

The next phase will include forming a committee of students to oversee the work and provide input into the project. More details to come!

One more day. Each vote is still crucial.

It will be a tight race until the finish. If you haven't voted or know someone who hasn't, please do so and make sure your friends and classmates do as well.

Polling stations will close at 6pm. Don't miss out on your chance to help us Save Cafe Nostalgica and Build a Grad House that we can all be proud of.

Thanks in advance for your support. And more importantly thanks to all of you that help spread the word, gather support and muster voters to Vote YES to the Grad House.

Guillaume.

It’s time to vote! | C'est le temps de voter!

From March 21 - 24, polling stations will be set-up at various locations on campus. Visit GSAÉD’s elections page to find your nearest polling station.

Don’t forget to bring your student card and Vote YES to the Grad House!

Du 21 au 24 mars, les bureaux de scrutin seront mis en place à plusieurs endroits sur le campus. Visitez la page Web des élections de la GSAÉD pour trouver le bureau de scrutin le plus proche.

N'oubliez pas d'apporter votre carte d'étudiant et de voter OUI à la Maison des diplômé.e.s!

Maison des diplomé.e.s : rez-de-chaussée

Read in English

La capacité intérieure passerait de 44 à 84, avec un mélange de tables, banquettes et sièges au bar. La superficie de la cuisine augmenterait de 250%. Un comptoir pour café et sandwiches sera ajouté pour ramener la fonction originale de "café" au Café.

Les double patios resteront essentiellement le même que ceux déjà présents, avec l'addition d'une petite plateforme en bois dans le coin est du patio, qui agirait comme aire de performance permanent ou de sièges préférées.


Enfin, une galerie sera ajoutée sur le devant du bâtiment, pour les étudiants qui veulent manger leurs items pris pour emporter.

Maison des diplomé.e.s : deuxième étage

Read in English

Le deuxième étage inclurait un grand Salon des étudiants diplômés et des salles de réunion (premier arrivé, premier servi) et d'autres salles de bains. Les étudiants seront encouragés de venir y étudier parmi d'autres ou de travailler sur un projet d'équipe, en appréciant les items pour emporter du Café Nostalgica.

Enfin, un petit patio permettrait aux étudiants de lire, de prendre de l'air et de regarder le monde passer dehors d'après le 2e étage.

Maison des diplômé.e.s : 3e étage

Read in English

Le 3e étage serait une salle multifonctionnelle de conférence, de réception et de réunion. Cette salle sera équipée et disponible pour les étudiants diplômés qui veulent y :

• défendre leur thèse dans une atmosphère prestigieuse,


• organiser un colloque, une conférence, une présentation, une réunion, une célébration, événement social, etc.

La salle serait disponible sans frais aux étudiants diplômés, mais devrait être réservée auparavant. Cette salle serait aussi utilisée par les associations des étudiants diplômés de tous les départements pour la tenue des réunions et assemblées de leurs départements.

Pourquoi avons-nous besoin d'une nouvelle Maison des diplômé.e.s?

Read in English

Avec l’accroissement de la population étudiante et de la communauté universitaire, le Café Nostalgica éprouve de la difficulté à subvenir à la demande lors des heures de pointe. Le Café doit ainsi refuser des étudiants et des clients parce que le Café est trop occupé, particulièrement lors de l’heure du dîner.

L’accessibilité au Café a toujours été un point de litige. Des problèmes persistent après avoir ajouté une rampe et une salle de bain accessible. D’abord, le cadre de la porte d’entrée est trop haut pour permettre l’accès facile au Café. De plus, les corridors et cadres de portes intérieurs sont trop étroits et deviennent trop rapidement bloqués. Ces problèmes ont été soulignés à répétition par des étudiants et des clients à mobilité réduite, qui ont droit de bénéficier des services du Nostalgica comme tout autre membre de notre association et de la communauté universitaire.

Le Café occupe un vieux duplex résidentiel, construit il y a 100 ans. En plus de la dégradation au fil des années, la tuyauterie, les égouts, et le système électrique n’ont pas été construits pour soutenir les exigences de l’équipement d’un bar et d’une cuisine commerciaux. Dans la dernière année, le Café a perdu des milliers de dollars à cause des problèmes électriques et d’égouts (nourriture ruinée, nettoyage coûteux, réparations, remplacement d’équipement, etc.).

Des consultants de construction ont prédit la fermeture du sous-sol par les inspecteurs de bâtiments, car il ne respecte pas les normes du bâtiment présentes et ne pourra pas espérer atteindre les normes d'accessibilité du milieu bâti. Ceci aurait pour conséquence la fermeture du Café car il perdrait son espace de rangement, une partie essentiel de son opération.


Du 21 au 24 Mars, SAUVEZ le Café Nostalgica. Votez OUI pour la Maison des diplômé.e.s.

For those on the fence...

Here's a not so quick facebook conversation I had last night with a Student that was initially opposed to the Referendum. Hopefully this will also inspire you to sway your vote and support the Grad House.

Cristiano Gato De Rezende March 17 at 5:57pm Report

I have some questions, maybe you could answer them before I vote:

- Was it considered any other project at lower cost than this? (If the reason for this is to safe the place, you could opt for some renovation that doesn't need all this expansion)
- How much money the café makes? Can't it make renovations with the profit it generates? Btw, where does the profit go to? To GSAED, I suppose?
- Are you guys taking in consideration that only grad students are charged while the majority of people on the café are undergrads? (I don't mind particularly, i think the space has to be share - but why charge only grads?)

I'm initially against the cause specially because of its huge price (over 4 Million) and I like how the cafe is right now. But maybe you could clarify these questions.

Cristiano.

Guillaume Lemieux March 17 at 9:43pm

Good evening Cristinano,

First of all thank you for inquiring and trying to better understand the reasons and logic behind the referendum.

Here are my answers to your questions:

1. At first we considered just a ground floor renovation of the Café, Which would have expanded the main floor by about 40%. And at first seemed to be the most cost effective. After speaking with architects and the physical resource team of the University the cost rose quickly,

First, as soon as we start renovating the Café we have to bring it to "code". Furthermore any renovation project would need to address two crucial life lines that are the cause for most of our troubles. a) The Residential Plumbing and b) The Residential Electrical System. To do so, extensive work to the infrastructure was necessary. By adding these components together, which also included adding an elevator to make the second floor accessible and to standard, the cost of patching the problems was estimated at over $1M by the architects. (I will send a separate message quoting the architects' numbers.

We also looked at different variations of the plans. And after 2 town hall meetings, many discussions at council and recommendations from the Café Committee, the current plans have been drafted and chosen. Although these plans are not final, they were necessary to finalize a cost estimate, which is the grounds for the referendum question.

2- The Café never made money. Before I started in my position the Café was losing $50k-$75k per year. Since I changed most of the processes and hired a qualified manager (which is a first at the Café), we have been operating a balanced budget. Not making, and not losing any money. Part of the reason why we don't make money is because of our mandate to first Serve students. Therefore we provide discounts to Grads and free shows almost daily. At first the Café borrowed money from GSAED. Once the amount reached $180k a few years ago, the money was not given as loan anymore, but has donations because Accounting wise it was not realistic for GSAED to expect the Café to pay them back. Future profits generate from improvements in the infrastructure will be re-invested in the cost to speed up the mortgage payments. And potentially same goes to GSAED surplus, which could also be used to pay off the mortgage of the Grad House quicker.

3- Only Grads pay because Governance of the Space on all levels will be managed and organized to always put Grads first. If we brought in the undergrads we would have been minority partners and we would have lost any decisional power. At one point it was going to be a joint project with the undergrad and we would have join them in the University Centre deal. The overall cost was going to be way more for us than by splitting up. The Student Centre project is estimated at $120M. The timeline for the Student Centre project also changed, which is why we branched off.

4- $4.2M is a lot of money, but we are investing in real-estate. One day if the organization needs to vacate or is in a financial crisis there would always be the option of selling it off and generate a profit from the transaction. I doubt this will ever happen but the money is not gonna be lost. When you break it down $22.50 is 0.45% to 0.75% of tuition. And I agree that any increase is not to be taken lightly. But the pay-off and improvements to Graduate Student Spaces will be tangible. Furthermore, the investment of $22.50 can be mitigated through your Graduate Discount of 20% at Café Nostalgica.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have additional questions.

Guillaume Lemieux March 17 at 9:47pm

Quote of patching up the Café (status quo) from the architects at GRC:

"Estimate of probable costs for the existing building :
Elevator - $ 225,000
New stair. - $ 50,000
Code related - $ 25,000
Windows and doors - $ 75,000
Washrooms and accessibility - $ 75,000
Electrical and Mechanical - $ 75,000
General refinishing - interior - 50,000
Roof , exterior masonry re pointing ,
cladding repairs $ 75,000
Kitchen and Bar $150,000
Contingency $100,000
Soft Costs $ 350,000

This totals. $ 1,250,000 . It does not include furniture replacement and various FFE. Expenses you may have . The usable area would be reduced significantly as stairs , elevator , accessible washrooms.etc. are added . No provision is made for enlarging / raising the basement . It is order of magnitude only. ... Probably more accurate as an overall total than for individual items. Not to be used as a shopping list .
If substantial remodeling is contemplated ...then it will be more .... You might suggest a range from one to one and a half million ... And as noted ...less facility ."

Guillaume Lemieux March 17 at 9:48pm

At $1.25M we would have needed a referendum to achieve this. And it was voted that if we are going to invest we should do it properly.

Cristiano Gato De Rezende March 17 at 11:46pm Report

You've changed my mind, I'll vote in favor of it. If you wish (I suggest you do), you can publish this conversation (at least the answers).

Things the Café do that are good for you...

Here's a small list of what I think that Café does that is good for us the Grad Students. Help us preserve these by Voting YES to the Grad House.

And add your favourite things form Café Nostalgica to the list.

1. Free shows & concerts 4x per week

2. Monthly Art exhibits

3. Voted Best Quality of Food and also voted Best Quality for the Price on Campus (5 years in a row)

4. Only patio on campus and biggest one in Sandy Hill

5. Friendliest Staff

6. Tasty Nachos... I am a big fan of that Chipotle Honey-Garly salsa sauce thing...

7. Great sweaty dance jams

Info session tonight 6pm / Session d'information ce soir 18h

Good morning Friends of the Cafe and Supporters of the Grad House.

We will be hosting an info session tonight at 6pm for those who have questions and concerns about the Grad House project.

We will be in room 301 in the University Centre at 6pm. Feel free to share this with anyone that has reserves about the project.

Best regards.

*****

Bon matin amis du Cafés et chers supporteurs du projet de la Maison des Diplômé.e.s.

Nous allons avoir une session d'information ce soir à 18h au Centre Universitaire salle 301, pour discuter avec vous de vos inquiétudes et répondre à vos questions.

Au plaisir.

Guillaume Lemieux

Here's the new poster for the referendum campaign. Let us know what you think. And feel free to use on your profile to help us spread the word.

Thanks for the support. And don't forget to get you and your friends to Vote YES come March 21st-24th.

Information Sessions | Séances d’information

Have questions about the Grad House?
Come to our information session:
Wednesday, March 16 at 6pm, UCU301.


Join our Facebook group or follow us on Twitter @SaveCafe.


Avez-vous des questions à propos de la Maison des diplômé.e.s?
Venez au notre séance d'information:
Le mercredi 16 mars à 18h, UCU301.


Joignez notre group Facebook ou suivez-nous avec Twitter @SaveCafe.

Public Debate | Débat public

Want to know more about the Grad House referendum?
Come to the public debate Tuesday, March 15, 5-8pm at Café Nostalgica!


Voulez-vous en savoir plus à propos du référendum sur la Maison des diplômé.e.s?
Venez au débat public le mardi 15 mars, 17h - 20h au Café Nostalgica!

How Much Will the Grad House Cost?

The estimated cost of the Grad House totals $4.2M. $600,000 has been secured through negotiation with the University and $50,000 is available in GSAÉD's Capital Building Funds.

To finance the remaing $3.5M, the University is willing to be a guarantor for a loan with a 5-6% interest rate. Based on the size of current graduate student population (5,500 students), each student would pay a levy of $22.50 per session to pay the mortgage in 30 years.

“$22.50, why should I care?”
You are giving access to the Grad House to those with limited mobility.
You are building a lasting legacy.
You are creating a thesis defence room worthy of hosting these special presentations.
You are saving an institution.

Click here to read: Why do we need a new Grad House?

Grad House Main Floor

Lire en français

The inside seating capacity in the new Grad House would increase from 44 to 84, with a mix of tables, booths and bar seats. The new kitchen would increase in size by 250%.

A coffee station/counter would be added to bring back the original intent of the Coffee House of the Café.

The double patios would remain similar to the current ones, with the addition of a wooden deck for a permanent stage area and prime seating on the East side of the patio.

Finally, a front porch patio would be added, for students interested in take-out items. This area would not be served by waiters, and customers could enjoy taking their time on this unique area.

Grad House Second Floor

Lire en français

The second floor will include a large graduate student study lounge, free (first come, first serve) meeting rooms and more washrooms. Students will be encouraged to come and study here amongst other graduate students or work on a group project, while enjoying the take-out goodies from Café Nostalgica. Finally, a small patio will allow students to read (and people watch) outside from the second level.

Grad House Third Floor

Lire en français

The third floor of the Grad House will be a meeting room with a reception area. This room will be equipped and available for graduate students that wish to defend their thesis in an executive boardroom setting. Grad students would be able to reserve this room free of charge.





Graduate student associations from different departments would be able use this room to hold their association meetings. This room would also be licensed for adult beverages for special occasions and celebrations. Another unique space on campus that would help meet the needs of graduate students.

I Built That

The Grad House would be for students, managed by students and the property of students.

Why Do We Need a New Grad House?

Lire en français

With the growth of our student population and the university community, Café Nostalgica has been struggling to meet demand during peak hours. Students and customers are turned away daily because the Café is full at certain times of the day. The kitchen is smaller than a Rez bedroom and is unable to keep up with the lunch hour rush.

Accessibility at the Café has always been an issue. Despite the efforts to make the buildling more accessible with a ramp and an accessible washroom, problems remain. The first problem is the entrance itself: the ledge is still too high to allow easy entry into the Café. The second problem is the space to maneuver in the Café. It is too narrow and often completely blocked, which prevents students from reaching the accessible washroom. This problem has often been highlighted by students with reduced mobility that deserve to benefit from the services of the Nostalgica, like all other students and members of the university community.

603 Cumberland is an old residential home. The plumbing and electrical system are not set up to sustain the demanding equipment from the bar and the kitchen. In the last year, sewage has backed up at Café Nostalgica 4 times; 2 times in the past month. Fuses are blown on a regular basis. We have lost thousands of dollars because of power outages and plumbing issues.


The half-height basement is at risk of being condemned by inspectors. This would result in a closure of the Café because it would not have any storage space, which is obviously a crucial part of the Café's operations.

Café Nostalgica at risk for imminent closure. A major renovation is required to keep the Café in business.


On March 21-24, vote YES to the Grad House.

Join us on Facebook | Joignez-nous sur Facebook

Show your support for the Grad House, join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_107924525953829¬if_t=group_r2j

Montrez votre soutien pour la Maison des diplômés, joignez notre groupe Facebook: www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_107924525953829¬if_t=group_r2j

The Grad House | La maison des diplômé.e.s

Café Nostalgica is at a crucial crossroad. The combination of physical limitations, problematic infrastructure, financial pressures, mounting demands and lack of control on the premises has brought us to the brink of closure.

The Grad House will be an old-traditional, fully accessible, Sandy Hill house that will include:

• double the seating and standing capacity of Café Nostalgica
• an ethical specialty coffee shop with take out menu and bake goods;
• a Grad Lounge on the second floor with balcony;
• 3 meeting rooms for group work, open to Grads;
• a Thesis Defense Hall, also available for special meetings and receptions; and
• several new additions that will improve the service and provide more gathering opportunities for Grads.

Café Nostalgica is an oasis on campus. Known for its delicious food, it is also a cultural hub for visual art, poetry and music. Nostalgica has been voted “Best Quality” for food on campus for the past five years. It is own and operated by students, for students.

Help us keep Café Nostalgica open. Help us create a space worthy of our Graduate Student population. Help us build YOUR Grad House.

On March 21-24, SAVE Café Nostalgica. Vote YES to the Grad House.

************************

Café Nostalgica est à une croisée de chemins cruciale. La combinaison de limitations physiques, de problèmes d’infrastructure, les pressions financières et le manque de contrôle sur l’édifice nous ont apporté à l’aube d’une fermeture du Café.

La Maison des diplômé.e.s sera construite dans une maison au style des vieilles maisons traditionnelles de Sandy Hill. Elle inclura:

• le double de capacité intérieur pour le Café;
• une station de café équitable de spécialité avec menu pour emporter et pâtisseries;
• un Salon pour étudiant.e.s diplômé.e.s avec balcon au 2e étage;
• 3 salles de rencontre et travaux de groupe pour les Diplômées;
• une Salle de Défense de Thèse, convertible pour des rencontres ou réceptions spéciales; et
• plusieurs ajouts qui augmenteront les opportunités de rassembler les Diplômé.e.s.

Le Café Nostalgica est un oasis parmi notre campus. Le Café est reconnu pour sa nourriture et voté #1 par les étudiants pour “Meilleure Qualité” pour les 5 dernières années. Nostalgica est aussi une destination culturelle qui regroupe art visuel, poésie et musique. Sous la propriété des Étudiant.e.s, géré par et pour les Étudiant.e.s.

Aidez-nous à garder le Café Nostalgica ouvert. Aidez-nous à créer un espace digne de notre population étudiante diplômée. Aidez-nous à construire VOTRE Maison des diplômé.e.s.

Du 21 au 24 Mars, SAUVEZ le Café Nostalgica. Votez OUI pour la Maison des diplômé.e.s.

Follow us on Twitter

We're just getting ourselves equiped with 2008 technology and we started a twitter account @SaveCafe - http://twitter.com/#!/SaveCafe. Follow us there and follow us here.

Follow us everywhere and help us Save Cafe Nostalgica!