UBC students given chance to redesign area around Coquitlam Centre SkyTrain Station > Real Estate Challenge competition heads to Canada for first time Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter Coatem Centre Station is among one of the busiest hubs along the newly implemented Evergreen Line, which spans across Port Moody and Coquitlam. Though the speedy service began less than two months ago, thousands of riders have found Coquitlam Centre Station to be an important connector (to the West Coast Express and as a fast track to Downtown Vancouver), and it has quickly become a cornerstone for many commutes. Currently, the area surrounding the station is used as a Park and Ride parking lot with over 1,000 stalls for Tri-City residents. On some days, the parking lot can appear similar to a vast barren landscape. With chain link fences dividing the bus exchange and Park the Ride, many residents may have trouble accessing the SkyTrain station at first encounter. Now, a competition is being held among real estate students who may be able to change the future look of the bustling station. Forty students from the University of British Columbia, University of Washington, and Portland State University are taking part in the 14th Annual Pacific Northwest Real Estate Challenge, a competition organized by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP). For the first time in Canada, students will be given the task of creating mixed- use commercial development plans, each unique and inventive in its own way to plan the potential future of the Coquitlam Centre SkyTrain Station. “This Real Estate Challenge offers a great opportunity for students to work on a real world, challenging case, while also having a stake in the community. The newly constructed SkyTrain Evergreen Extension has great potential for the City of Coquitlam, as students will have to figure out how the transportation infrastructure can be optimized for the future tenants and residents of this 14-acre parcel, as well as the surrounding community,” said Jarvis Rouillard, president of NAIOP Vancouver, in a press release. By opening the door to a real case study, students will be able to envision their plans onto real infrastructures. Teams have until March to present their plans in front of a panel of judges, including members of the commercial real estate industry and TransLink officials. Notably, TransLink isn’t subject to implement any of the proposed plans that are produced from the competition, but have the option to do so. “We want this station to become a community hub that embraces the principles and philosophy of a transit oriented development,” said Guy Akester, Director of Real Estate Programs and Partnerships at TransLink, in the same press release. “The site needs to be highly walkable, offer a great mix of uses, and engage with the transportation infrastructure in a positive way. We're excited to see what the students propose while preserving the transit functionality of the site.” Free coffee, donuts, and feminism > DSU Women’s Collective weekly coffee house is a go Jessica Berget Staff Writer ince the closing of the Women’s Centre in 2013, Douglas College did not offer a safe space where self- identified women could come together for emotional and peer support. With the DSU Women’s Collective weekly coffee house, women—or anyone who wishes to join—now have that space. The first meeting of the Women’s Collective weekly coffee house, facilitated by the Women’s Collective Executives Prabh Hundal and Telka Pesklevits, kicked off on January 17. With many eager and vocal participants (and with the aid of free coffee and Timbits), conversations flowed around why women aren’ in higher level positions, why women contribute their success to outside factors rather than themselves, and their favourite desserts. “Self-identified women don’t have a space to get together or meet. It’s important to have a space to be exposed to ideas of feminism. [Some people] learn that in class, but not everyone does. I think that it is very important to be living in this society and to be exposed to such ideas and to havea space where they can learn more about [feminism] and discuss it,” said Hundal. The weekly coffee house provides a safe and supportive space for all self- identified women to discuss ideas of politics, feminism, society, and culture. The collective also provides a learning space for people who wish to become more educated on women’s issues, women’s health, and current events. “I went to this conference at UBC about sexual assaults on campus and | realized that we don’t have such a safe space here where women can come and feel comfortable and share their experiences and their stories and to learn and support each other. Every other campus has one space like that, but we [didn’t],” said Hundal. “It is kind of sad that most women on campus don’t know where to get resources or where to get help, and if they havea question they can come talk to us.” “Unfortunately, things like sexual assault do still happen, and I think it can sometimes get brushed under the rug, and there needs to be a space for people that that happens to. Even if they don’t want to talk about it, just to feel like if they can if they want to or need to,” added Pesklevits. “T also think that sexual and physical health can be portrayed negatively for women. They're just not talked about, and being able to have somewhere where women can feel comfortable talking about that with each other is really important.” The collective aims to provide support and a safe space for women, and it does exactly that. The coffee house is an ideal place for anyone who wants to discuss feminist issues and ideas, or wants to learn more about it. “Everyone's allowed in the Women’s Collective, so long as they maintain a safe space,” Pesklevits said. 3PM-4DM EVERY TUESDAY BEGINNING JANUARY 17 RM 328 at the Douglas Students’ Union Building FOR MORE INFO WOMEN@THEDSU.CA LA 1 */ Women’s Collective WEEKLY COFFEE HOUSE eee oat) sae Meet-Up to discuss women’s issues, current Collective events. society & culture Photo by Analyn Cuarto Image provided by DSU