The Silhouette - January 12, 2012

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A MCMASTER TRAINER IS HELPING TO OVERCOME NOT ONE, BUT TWO LIFETIMES OF TRAGEDY AND MISFORTUNE. SEE S4&S5

www.thesil.ca

McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER / THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012

The Silhouette

YOUR VOICE ON CAMPUS

Est. 1930

VOLUME 82, NO. 17

New year, new questions Booster Juice kiosk approved

Pheonix relocation delayed

Kacper Niburksi

Brian Decker

Ever notice how, when you walk through the Student Centre (MUSC), something doesn’t feel quite right? No, it’s not the noxious, lingering smell of cheese pizza at every step. Nor is it the zoo of students bustling through its doors at any hour of the day. Instead, it is much, much worse: there are cobwebs where there should be smoothies. In September, the popular smoothie, ice cream and Jamaican patties vendor located beside Tim Horton’s in MUSC closed its doors. Under a sub-lease with McMaster Hospitality Services, the kiosk chose to terminate its agreement with McMaster last summer. With students unaware, saddened and smoothie-less, the following months saw discussions in the McMaster community, specifically the McMaster Hospitality Services (MHS), and a variety of would-be franchise owners. Many showed interest, and numerous deals were offered, but among the lot, a smoothie magnate came out on top: Booster Juice. First mentioned publically by MSU president Matthew DillionLeitch, an approved agreement between MHS and the Booster Juice franchise was reached in December of 2011. Glenn Tucker, Director of International and Non-Traditional Development at Booster Juice, said that the chain had “long coveted such a store at McMaster.” Perhaps due to Booster Juice’s commitment to providing healthy options, or maybe because of the exhilaration that comes with change, the student-run website, Macinsiders, was barraged with an array of sneers, cheers and jeers regarding the approval. On the site’s discussion forum, the post obtained near to 4500 views and received 77 replies. Among the many – some of which were emphatic, others shadowed more so in cynicism – a common complaint

Patrons looking to enjoy a pint at McMaster’s newest watering hole will have to wait a little while longer. The Phoenix Bar & Grill, originally set to move from Wentworth House to the Refectory in January, will not be moving until at least mid-February due to a handful of unforeseen construction issues. Contractors working on the move last month discovered some previously unknown piping and a large cement block, delaying the move of the campus bar for anywhere from a few weeks to over a month. “Our intention was try and move some time in January. We are going to miss that deadline,” said Graduate Students Association (GSA) president Jessica Merolli. The Phoenix will remain open in Wentworth House through the end of January. The initial plan included much of the project’s heavy construction to be completed during the exam and holiday break, while Bridges, the Refectory’s other tenant, was closed. The discovery of pipes between two walls being knocked down – likely part of the original Refectory kitchen - and a thick cement block in the centre of the building have pushed the operations back, however. “Because it’s an old building and it’s been used for a lot of different things, sometimes you take down a wall and there’s something there you didn’t expect,” said Merolli. “There are things that don’t necessarily show in the most current version of the drawings because the building is so old.” The Refectory is a heritage building and one of the original six buildings from when McMaster moved to Hamilton in 1930. “There’s no feeling that if we had access to better drawings that we’d be better off,” said Merolli, refusing to place blame on the GSA,

Assistant News Editor

• PLEASE SEE BOOSTER, A5

Executive Editor

The Phoenix is moving, Travel Cuts is leaving & a new Booster Juice is opening in the Student Centre

Will your input be considered?

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Ideas sought for Travel Cuts replacement Dina Fanara

Assistant News Editor

The Travel Cuts location at McMaster closed its doors in the Student Centre (MUSC) not long before the end of first term. Now, its space next to Union Market is up for grabs. When Travel Cuts closed, it promised students that its services would still be offered from an alternate location. Travel Cuts been in existence on campuses throughout Ontario since the 1950s, and was owned for the majority of that time by the Canadian Federation of Students, a student lobbying group, with the goal of providing discounted travel rates for students. According to McMaster Stu-

dent Union (MSU) president Matthew Dillon-Leitch, Travel Cuts made the decision not to renew their lease contract with the University, as they are currently in the process of downsizing. They are removing their on-campus locations from several other schools as well. The MUSC management team is currently receiving proposals from prospective businesses and services who have interest in renting the 500-square-foot space. Ideas are pouring in for what should go in place of Travel Cuts. But as Dillon-Leitch pointed out, “there are restrictions in the student centre on what we are and are not allowed to place.” Rarely do students have an opportunity to give their opinion on such an important matter, admits

Dillon-Leitch. “It’s a fun chance to get it right.” A decision facing the MSU is whether they want the space to house a business of their own creation or to allow the space to be leased to a private vendor. The first option involves financial risk, while the later forgoes any potential profit or significant control. Prior to the final decision being made, Dillon-Leitch would like to launch some further initiatives to find out what students would like to see in the place of Travel Cuts. Suggestions include retail, a food outlet, a grocery store, banking locations, extra seating space and a coffee shop. Student input will help differentiate between the proposals set forth, or drive management to search for further options.

• PLEASE SEE ONE, A4

IN THE SIL... SPORTS

OPINIONS

INSIDEOUT

ANDY

FOOTBALL COACH STEFAN PTASZEK SCORES A NEW FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT AFTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

THE WINTER HOLIDAYS GIVE US REASON TO EXAMINE EXACTLY WHAT THEY MEAN TO US

INSIDEOUT LOOKS AT HOW STUDENTS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO MENTAL ILLNESS

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST MARKS A NEW YEAR FOR MAC THEATRE

SEE S2

SEE C1

SEE C1

SEE D6

...THIS WEEK


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