Capilano University (CapU) is getting its first ever on-campus student housing with the opening of a housing building at the university’s North Vancouver campus.
The housing, named Treehouse (Lam?íwa/?qe?t?w?tx?) is mostly for first and second year students to help ease the transition into life at university while also encouraging a sense of community.
“For many post-secondary students, having a place to live on campus can make all the difference,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure.
“This new student housing at Capilano University will give students a supportive place to live, study and build community, while making it easier for them to access the education and opportunities they came here to pursue.”
The six-storey building had its name provided by both the S?wx?wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and the s?lilw?ta? (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). Lam?íwa/?qe?t?w?tx?, translated to Treehouse, imitates the shared idea of a “home in the woods.”
Treehouse provides 362 homes for students with a mix of single and double occupancy rooms. Twelve of the units are wheelchair accessible.
There is shared laundry, washrooms, a study, lounge and kitchen spaces on each floor.
The ground floor houses a First Nations-focused reflection and gathering space, a café, bike storage, a multipurpose room and student support spaces.
“After two years of commuting three hours a day, moving into housing changed my university experience,” said Manroop Kaur, a CapU student.
“Treehouse means more students can have that same opportunity right on campus – closer to class, closer to community and better able to succeed. It’s not just a place to live, it’s a place where you belong.”
There is also a 250-seat mass-timber dining hall connected to Treehouse. It will provide meal services to students living on campus as well as those commuting.