CREDIT: MAURICIO PRADO
Fanshawe's Innovation Village is expected to be a physical and virtual hub with cutting-edge equipment for students.

Work on Fanshawe’s Innovation Village has continued throughout this past year, and is now expected to open to students in January of 2024.

The creative space, located in what was formerly F Building, will be a physical and virtual hub with cutting-edge equipment, study spaces, entertainment and more.

Juan Vasquez, a Fanshawe business student said that he likes the idea of having another place where he can relax, talk with friends and study.


“It would feel fresh to have another space with another environment,” said Vasquez. “I am eager to see what new technological equipment will be available for us.”

Carol Balzer, Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) Senior Director of Operations said the new space will have a lot of different purposes.

“There will be homework labs, a sleep junction, a floorball hall, a hair salon, a convenience store, maker spaces, a VR lab, and a bunch of meeting spaces that students can use according to their needs,” said Balzer. “The function is to bring students together from different areas of the college into different learning environments. Students would be able to create projects and work on things not typically included in their daily classroom.”

There would be a lot of new technological equipment students would be able to access, but there would be some restrictions, according to Balzer.

“We do not want students going in and breaking any equipment or getting hurt right on campus. So they’ll need special training for certain things,” said Balzer. “It would be accessible for everybody with some limits until you've been appropriately trained to use the equipment.”

Balzer said the building will be bright and big, with several indoor and outdoor areas students could use.

“The outback patio will be extended as well, so students will have more of an outdoor feel that will be a little bit more year-round because they’ll be heaters and fireplace tables and things like that,” said Balzer.

She said the plan is to open the building for students at the beginning of next year.

“We hope to have everything equipped and ready towards the end of the fall of 2023,” said Blazer. “But the grand opening is on January 2024.”