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UVic Announces Its New Engagement Framework

The University of Victoria’s new consultation framework for engaging with the public on future capital projects and campus land use planning initiatives is now available online.

The 33-page document, Engaging with Our Neighbours: A Community Engagement Framework for Campus Land Use Planning & Development Projects, sets a new direction for UVic and establishes the principles which UVic intends to fulfill when engaging with its community stakeholders. It is the successful result of extensive effort over a period of seven months by the university, community representatives, municipal planning department staff, resident association members, the UVic-Community Association Liaison Committee and other stakeholders.

UVic sought to strengthen its overall consultation process as a result of going through the municipal approval process for the new Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA) and parkade.

“The community association representatives have participated in the development of the engagement framework and voted unanimously to support the resulting document,” adds Tom Croft, co-chair of the UVic-Community Association Liaison Committee.

Vince Verlaan of Golder Associates Ltd. (formerly HB Lanarc), the community engagement and municipal planning firm commissioned by UVic to assist in developing this new approach, says, “In researching other universities across Canada and how they consulted on development of their campuses, it has become apparent to us that UVic’s commitment to a practical, consistent and progressive approach to future consultation efforts is unique in Canada. I applaud UVic for taking this approach in developing a framework through an engaging process that benefited greatly from community stakeholder input.”

The framework is available as a downloadable PDF (1.5MB) online.

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Media Contacts:

Neil Connelly (Campus Planning & Sustainability) at 250-472-5433 or nconn@uvic.ca
Mr. Connelly will be available for media interviews on Feb. 6 by contacting UVic Communications Services directly at 250-721-7636 or at the number below.
Tara Sharpe (Communications Services) at 250-721-6248 or tksharpe@uvic.ca

UVic is celebrating its 50th anniversary from Sept. 2012 to June 2013. Visit www.uvic.ca/anniversary for more info.

UVic media releases and other resources for journalists are available on the World Wide Web at http://communications.uvic.ca/media