In four months, the University of Lethbridge will officially be 50 years old.
“I’m sure if you’d had a conversation with the founding fathers about where we’d be in 50 years – this couldn’t have been imagined and what we’re on the precipice of moving towards,” Provost and Vice President Academic Andrew Hakin said.
It’s a milestone that was nearly unimaginable in 1967, when the community’s dream of a university first became a reality.
The official sod turning for the west side campus was on Sept. 5, 1969 and was completed in September 1972. While construction was being completed, students were enrolled at the campus at Lethbridge College. In 1972, the combined enrollment at both campuses was 1,503.
In 1982, the first Masters of Education program commenced as the campus continued to grow with the addition of a performing arts centre.
Construction continued in 1991 on the Turcotte building when enrollment was over 4,100 students, some of whom lived in the newly opened residences.
In 2011, the university geared up for its next round of upgrades including a new residence building and other road and parking lot maintenance.
Fast forward to today, the university has over 8,400 students enrolled in classes and has started construction on the biggest upgrade yet, the Destination Project. It’s a $250-million project that is hoping to bring the U of L another 50 years of success.
WATCH: U of L Destination Project officially turns sod
“It’s a tremendous size,” Hakin said. “But I will say to you, every square inch of that building will be utilized as we move in in the spring of 2019.
“Our faculty members need those research spaces, our students need those teaching labs.”
While the official 50th celebrations won’t take place until January 2017, five decades worth of excitement is already in the air.
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