Although many new clubs have found a home in the Nest, a number of organizations are still active in the old Student Union Building.
According to AMS VP Admin Ava Nasiri, renovations for the old SUB that would give certain specialized clubs new facilities in the basement were supposed to take place right after the opening of the Nest. However this plan was postponed indefinitely due to financial issues on university’s side, which was intending to renovate the old SUB as the UBC Life Project.
“We really wanted to make sure we had enough space and resources to provide exactly what they needed for the groups that are still there,” said Nasiri.
Among these clubs are the Pottery Club, Blank Vinyl Project, UBC Photo Society, UBC Free Store and others. All of these groups currently reside in the old SUB basement, while the UBC Film Society uses the main floor and clubs such as the Dance Club and the Wrestling Club use the upstairs ballrooms.
Specialized clubs that are promised office space in the renovated building include UBC Aqua Society, UBC Film Society, UBC Sprouts and the AMS Bicycle Co-op and Bike Kitchen.
“These would be our main sort of larger clubs that require the specialized space just because they operate at such an impressive calibre,” said Nasiri.
Since these clubs were originally meant to be allocated space in the renovated old SUB, they were not moved into the Nest. Nasiri says that other clubs in the basement may not have been able to move into the Nest, but were given space in the old SUB as consolation.
It’s currently unspecified as to when these renovations will take place. In the interim, the clubs will stay in the old SUB’s basement — a placement that has actually managed to bring many of these clubs together.
“Because these clubs are in the old SUB, there’s more potential and drive to collaborate with each other,” said Cheralyn Chok, president of the Blank Vinyl Project.
Blank Vinyl Project was originally moved into an office on the fourth floor of the Nest, but were subsequently moved into the old Ubyssey office — a space that they share with the UBC Photo Society.
Although Chok was initially disappointed to leave the Nest, she’s become very fond of the new location.
“This is honestly better for our club. We can make a lot of noise and it fits more of the Blank Vinyl Project culture thing to be down here,” she said. “I love it.”
Last Wednesday, many of these clubs came together to host a “SUB-Culture Party” in the old SUB basement dedicated to the congregation of these clubs left behind. Although the party showcases and celebrates the clubs of the basement, Chok also interprets it as the way for these clubs to announce that they’re still very active.
“[It's] not protesting. [It's] just saying that ‘oh, we’re down here.’ We want people to know that there’s still stuff going on in the old SUB,” said Chok. “It’s kind of the hidden, more underground clubs, but we don’t really want to be underground — we want students to know about us and use our resources.”
This article has been updated to clarify the financial situation of the UBC Life Project.
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