A preview of the new Student Centre today revealed the almost completed main auditorium area. The full building will be open for the coming academic year.
“It was very important to us that this year’s students will at least get a sense of it,” said DCU President Brian MacCraith. “But really I think September will just blow people away when they see all the floors, all the meeting rooms, all the special purpose spaces.”
SU President Niall Behan said it “has been quite a tough year in regards to the construction”.
“We were told February, then it got pushed back and now it’s looking like August,” said Behan. “For the long term development of DCU this is definitely one of the best investments I’ve seen in the last few years.”
MacCraith said the delays were down to “issues that builders find from time to time”. “You couldn’t have budgeted for Storm Emma or any of these things.”
The building will be completely finished in August and will be open for the first years coming in, said MacCraith.
DCU SU President Elect Vito Moloney Burke said the new Student Centre will mean societies will be able to run more events and become more successful and prosperous.
“You’ve got the likes of MPS, you’ve got FM, and in Dance you’ve got their own dance studio – but societies across the board will benefit. There’s a heap of new meeting rooms, there’s facilities for any kinds of events, you’ve got your Venue back.”
Burke said the opening of the new Centre is “a really promising time for DCU”.
The new Centre was half paid for by students, who contributed through their fees, said Behan. “I really think this space is going to be the centre of all DCU life,” he said.
The Centre is open for preview between 12pm and 5pm today.
Emily Sheahan
Image Credit: Emily Sheahan