News

OUSA is splashing out half a million dollars to pimp out the Clubs & Societies Building. President Logan Edgar says that most of the money will be spent on “boring” maintenance rather than brand new features. The big-ticket item is an “eco-friendly, sustainable heating system”, which will cost $200,000, while the bathrooms may be in line for marble tiles thanks to a $100,000 upgrade allocation.

Aside from the routine maintenance, several rooms are being upgraded and revamped. Edgar says, “anyone can walk around Clubs & Socs and see that it’s quite outdated; it’s quite 70s, especially the Rec Rooms. Also, when you walk in off Albany Street, it’s a bit dingy, it’s not that inviting. We want to do it up so it’s opened up really flashy and you walk in and there’s a really nice meeting area.”

As well as making Clubs & Socs more aesthetically pleasing, Edgar wants to make it into a “casual Rec Centre where students could just walk in off the street and do something cool. As a student I want to be able to rock in there, ‘cos you know I’m bored, it’s a Sunday, and watch a movie in a really nice movie theatre area.”
The building may be renamed in light of this new focus on non-club recreation. Edgar has suggested the “Student Centre” or the “OUSA Centre”. Critic thinks the word “Crib” should feature in the title.

OUSA is asking for “as much student input as possible … if a student comes to us with an amazing idea like ‘hey let’s put a shooting range in, or a go-kart track’, there’s no reason why we can’t fully investigate it.”
Edgar encourages students to email their ideas to president@ousa.org.nz by Friday May 18. The Exec will make its final decision on May 29.

To recoup the exorbitant costs of the upgrade, $3 lunches may be replaced with $30 gourmet lunches, which will cater to a “higher class of scarfie”.