College will open a new breakout space for students in September, replacing the former Bank of Ireland branch in the Hamilton building.
The space is currently a breakout space, and was a Bank of Ireland branch until the bank pulled out of College in August.
In a press statement, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Communications and Marketing Officer Philly Holmes said the executive officers group – the de facto cabinet in Trinity – approved the space last month, “following extensive consultation with the Director of Student Services Breda Walls and Provost Patrick Prendergast”.
“We look forward to seeing this project come to fruition in the next few months”, Holmes added.
“We recognise that there continues to be a lack of student space on campus and the Student Centre project has been in the works for over a decade.”
“We are delighted to announce that this year we have been able to secure costings, a design brief and a permanent steering committee which establishes collaboration between Capitated Bodies and the College to ensure that we can finally break ground on a new student centre.”
Speaking to The University Times, TCDSU President Eoin Hand said: “Since I entered this College in 2016, student space in the Hamilton has consistently been a big issue and I’m incredibly proud to say that myself and my colleagues, in collaboration with Director of Student Services Breda Walls and with support from the Provost, have secured this student space.”
“What was an old bank is now a student space on campus with microwaves and hot water supplied”, he added. “This is something I was very passionate about during my campaign, and I’m very proud that coming up to the end of my term in office, we have been able to complete this long-term project, which I hope will benefit students far into the future and will remain a constant space of community building and enjoyment for whomever uses that space.”
TCDSU will be furnishing the space and providing a staff member to run it.
Student spaces have sprung up across campus in the past year, as College seeks to facilitate students coming on to campus during the pandemic.
College put up tents in New Square and Botany Bay to give students outdoor spaces.
The new student space was formerly a restaurant, before Bank of Ireland took over the space.
In April, 2016, The University Times reported that College was going to turn the space in a business incubation hub.
At the time, Adrian Neilan, Trinity’s former commercial director, told this newspaper that the restaurant “was never designed as a catering location” and incurred an operating loss in 2015. It “has been underutilised as a student breakout space”, he said.
He said that the proposal resulted from “a proactive approach” by the College with regards to reviewing existing space on campus, in light of redevelopments due to occur on the east end of campus, including the demolition of Luce Hall to make way for the new business school.
