Keele Campus of York University
The Keele Campus is the main campus of York University in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It occupies roughly 1 square kilometre of land and is situated between Jane Street to the west, Keele Street to the east, Steeles Avenue West to the north and Finch Avenue West to the south. It is the largest post-secondary campus in Canada at 457 acres.
History
The campus was once occupied by farms held by pioneers of the area including:- James Stong
- Daniel Stong
- Peter Erlin Kaiser
- Abraham Hoover
- John Boynton
The original 1960s buildings—now designated Toronto Heritage Properties—were designed and built by joint venture UPACE and landscape under Hideo Sasaki.
Central Campus
The main facilities of the central part of the campus are connected by heated walkways for the safety and convenience of students and staff.Vari Hall
Vari Hall, primarily given over to lecture halls, was designed by Raymond Moriyama and constructed in the early 1990s to put a "new face" on the campus. The facility is named for George and Helen Vari, Hungarian refugees and businesspersons who helped finance the building. The three-story rotunda has become a popular place for student life and social activities.Ross Humanities and Social Sciences Building
Most of Ross consists of faculty offices, particularly of those affiliated with Arts. It was named for Dr. Murray G. Ross, the university's founding president. There are several small classrooms in the lower floors of the building, as well as a small cinema. Ross also houses the Graduate Pub, one of the few places on campus licensed to sell liquor.A ramp leading up to the Ross Building was demolished during the building of Vari Hall by 1989.
Ross is divided into two towers: Ross North, and Ross South. Room numbers must be identified with a tower prefix, as the same numbers are used.
Central Square/Curtis Lecture Halls
Central Square is the hub connecting Ross, the Scott Library and the Curtis Lecture Halls. It includes a large cafeteria, a "bear pit", a small "open" computer laboratory, several TD ATMs, Booster Juice and several offices focused on student and faculty services.Scott Library
The main Scott Library is five stories tall and features thousands of books, periodicals, and other resources. There are designated quiet study areas as well as several small conference rooms which students can reserve to work on group projects.The building is an example of the Brutalist architecture built at the campus in the 1960s and 1970s and based on a Ziggurat.
The library is named for William Pearson Scott, the member Chair of the York University Board of Governors.
Steacie Science and Engineering Library
Named for Canadian chemist Edgar William Richard Steacie and one three key libraries in Keele campus.Sound and Moving Image Library
The Sound and Moving Images Library is located on the first floor of Scott Library and houses York's collection of audiovisual materials as well as materials strictly related to music and films. The Sound and Moving Image Collection holds over 10,000 physical media items and provides access to more than 150,000 streaming autio and video titles. A notable strength is in Jazz, accounting for 7,000 items. Roughly a total of a hundred DVD players, Blu-ray players, VCRs, and turntables are available for student use including access to quality headphones. The Sound and Moving Images Library is open Monday-Thursday from 9am-7pm and Fridays from 9am-5pm.Petrie Science Building
Built in 1969 Petrie Science Building is home to the York University Observatory, which features two dome towers that house the observatory's astronomical telescopes. The building is named for Scottish-born Canadian astronomer Robert Methven Petrie.Accolades
The Accolade Project comprises two new buildings, Accolade East and Accolade West, which frame the existing Fine Arts complex on the south side of The Common at the heart of York University's Keele campus. The new structures offer a wide range of academic, exhibition and performance facilities for teaching, learning, research, creative work and public presentation. Image:York 050.jpg|thumb|right|The Recital Hall just after grand opening performance. The Accolade Project offers facilities for Canada's future artists and performers. Complementing the facilities of the Faculty of Fine Arts in the Joan & Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts, Burton Auditorium, the Centre for Film and Theatre, and the Technology-Enhanced Learning Building, Accolade brings all seven fine arts departments together.Accolade East
Both the Department of Music and the Department of Dance have a new home with facilities in Accolade East. The Art Gallery of York University has also moved into Accolade East. Located east of the Centre for Film and Theatre, facing the Schulich School of Business, Accolade East features exhibition and performing arts facilities, The Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre, and The Recital Hall, including the main box office, as well as classrooms and an open-access computer laboratory serving the entire university.Accolade West
Located north of the Joan & Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts and adjacent to Burton Auditorium, Accolade West is used by students from across the university. A four-storey building dedicated primarily to academic studies, the building houses classrooms, seminar rooms and computer laboratories ranging in capacity from 40 to 400 seats. It houses the student-run gallery of the Department of Visual Arts as well as two new studios for the Fine Arts Cultural Studies program in the Faculty of Fine Arts.Student Centres
The Student Centre at York University's Keele Campus comprises two major buildings: the original First Student Centre and the purpose-built Second Student Centre. Together they serve as the primary hub for student services, clubs, and social life.First Student Centre
Located at 94 York Boulevard, the First Student Centre acts as a centralized venue for student-organization offices, retail food outlets, and general student services. It anchors the campus' "living room" for student life, where fast-food and retail on the main level are complemented by offices and support services on the upper floors.Functions include club and student-union offices, and student-run services.
Second Student Centre
In response to student-driven demand for a new dedicated facility, a campus-wide referendum was held in October 2013 in which approximately 90% of participating students voted in favour of creating a second Student Centre.Designed by CannonDesign, the 126,000 square-foot building opened in 2018 and is situated at the north end of Roy McMurtry Green in the heart of the Keele campus. In transparent facade and sculptural gateway form serve as a symbolic "gateway" to student life.
The building houses study spaces, club offices, multi-faith prayer rooms wellness and food-pantry supports, and dance studios, representing the university's extremely diverse student population.
York Lanes
York Lanes is a two-storey mall at the Keele campus of York University in Toronto, Ontario.The lower level has restaurants and retail stores including the York University Bookstore at the east end, as well as the on-campus medical office. Offices for faculty of various departments as well as various student groups are located on the second floor. York Lanes and the Student Centre feature a range of restaurants and services listed on York Lanes Eateries and York Food Services directories.
The layout of the mall is rectangular. It is divided into three sections. One main corridor runs along its length. Slightly diagonal towards the South-West corner at the start, then East-West, and finally turning south for a short span at the East end. There is one branch off to a North exit where the West Market meets the Main Wing, and there is also a door to a narrow passageway at the West end to another back exit to the North. There is a two-storey parking garage north of the mall.