Campus Planning

The Campus Plan

The AST Board of Governors has approved a plan for the future of AST’s campus, and many members of the AST community provided feedback, for which we are grateful. The input we received absolutely improved the plan.

Feedback on the plan was predominantly positive. There were concerns raised about the Library and the initial plan to locate staff and faculty offices on the top floor of the library building.

The plan has been significantly altered and improved from the initial approach. Some offices will be re-located onto the middle floor of the Library and the remaining offices will be located on the bottom floor of the Main Building. The top floor of the Library will be reconfigured to provide for more contemplative, study space in the Library separated from the offices. 

Re-locating offices from the first floor of the Main Building and renting the rooms out to student residents will allow us to generate needed revenue.

Other aspects of the campus plan include:

  • Revitalization of the 1898 Building as a centre of creative teaching & learning. This will include new flexible classroom space, a small lecture hall / auditorium, space for initiatives such as the Hayes Centre, and student communal space.
  • Upgrading of the student residence, based on priorities developed in consultation with the AST Student Union. We will be bringing on campus a healthy “self-serve” food option, and hiring an on-site residence manager.
  • Installing solar panels and upgrading our energy-using equipment (such as lighting) for greater efficiency and smaller carbon footprint.
  • Upgrading other campus equipment and infrastructure, including chapel seating, parking, and stairs.
  • Converting the President’s Lodge to be a retreat centre for outside (revenue-generating) clients, while continuing to use the space for AST community gatherings.
  • Renovating the Librarian’s House and turning it into a student residence annex for the exclusive use of AST students.
  • Continuing to improve our waterfront contemplative garden.

Work will begin soon on planning the implementation of these changes, starting with the office relocation and improvements to the student residence. There will be many details to be worked out as we go forward and the people most affected by the various changes will be engaged in that planning.

Some of the changes, such as the revitalization of the 1898 Building, will require the raising of significant funds and planning is well underway for a capital fundraising campaign.

This is an exciting milestone for AST. The campus plan will support the viability of AST through the generation of needed revenues. It will provide for better teaching and learning infrastructure and student accommodations. We will have a more environmentally sustainable campus, and one that will be more functional. 

AST has the quality people, the educational programming, the campus, and the strategy to move into an uncertain future with confidence and hope. We fully intend to be carrying on our mission of shaping faithful and effective leaders for many years to come. The campus plan is an important part of this path forward.

PowerPoint Presentation  (pdf)