A ceremony Friday morning to celebrate the Centre for Engineering Innovation was more than a ground-breaking, given the progress of construction, said UWindsor President Alan Wildeman: "Let's call it the laying of the foundation."

The building, a 300,000-square-foot gold LEED facility, will lay the foundation for future prosperity, helping to ensure the competitiveness of industry in Windsor, Ontario, and Canada.

The Centre for Engineering Innovation will house world-class, green technologies, a manufacturing courtyard, and will provide more than 1,600 construction jobs. It will be a living building where students can learn from the electrical, mechanical, civil, and environmental engineering systems displayed throughout the structure. When it is completed, the University's engineering programs will accommodate an additional 400 students and associated faculty and staff, and will house 150 research associates.

“The world-class Centre for Engineering Innovation will transform the University of Windsor and stand as a beacon for our entire community,” said Dr. Wildeman. “It will be an exceptional facility for our students. It is already creating jobs, and in the long-term will be a centrepiece for one of the country’s finest engineering schools, bringing together academia and industry to drive future innovation in manufacturing. We are grateful to the federal and provincial governments for their contributions to this vital project, laying the foundation for sustainable economic success in Windsor and the surrounding area.”

Paula Nguyen, a third-year civil engineering student, said she and her peers appreciate the support of the University and governments for their educations.

"The Centre for Engineering Innovation will make its presence known not only at a local level, but at a global and national level as well, letting everybody know that here in Windsor, we are receiving an education of high quality, that we have received the privilege of accessing all the necessary resources we need to succeed, and to become leaders in the engineering field," she said.

The project received $40 million from the Government of Canada's Knowledge Infrastructure Program and $40 million from the Ontario government. Read the full media release.

Government and University officials engage in a ceremonial turning of sand Friday on the site of the Centre for Engineering Innovation. Hoisting shovels are Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Dwight Duncan, Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello, UWindsor Chancellor Ed Lumley, Essex MP Jeff Watson, and UWindsor President Alan Wildeman.

News Story courtesy of UWin Daily News.