The University of Manitoba continues to be booming with construction on several projects that are expected to rejuvenate the Fort Garry campus.

The $150 million plan, called Project Domino, is one of the most elaborate projects of the university’s history.

“The construction projects currently underway on the Fort Garry Campus will have a transformative impact for students, staff and visitors at the University of Manitoba,” said university spokesperson John Danakas.

“Students will experience huge enhancements to their daily academic and extracurricular lives, with new or improved classroom and lab space, new performance space in a refurbished Tache Hall, a new residence with all of the state-of-the-art amenities [and] a beautiful new pedestrian mall leading into the heart of the campus from University Crescent. The list goes on and on.”

Since June 11, Pembina hall has been closed to students and the public. The newly renovated 360-unit residence is expected to be complete for September 2011.

One of the highlights of the construction will be the new Art and Research Technology Laboratory (ARTlab).

The 6,500 square metre structure will offer art studios, a soundstage, space for workshops, digital labs and a lecture theatre. The ARTlab will meet musicological standards to allow for better protection of displayed works via humidity and lighting control.

Brenda Lanoway, a fine arts student at the U of M, said she was excited to see the completion new building.

“I see all kinds of wonderful stuff going on at the university in terms of buildings. I think it’s fabulous that we’ve got a state of the art building that has a lot of light […] and space. And then the whole technology piece […] just for the chance for students get involved in that,” said Lanoway.

According to Paul Hess, director of the School of Art, ARTLab will be a state of the art facility for art exhibition as well as for innovative research and creative production.

“Modern and forward-looking, the clear glass studio facade of ARTLab offers a window on the creative process,” said Hess in a press release issued by the University of Manitoba.

Later this month, construction is set to go underway for the new Winnipeg Blue Bombers football stadium and is expected to be completed in 2012. The new stadium will be designed to accommodate up to 35,000 fans.

Other construction projects include a 1,860 square metre addition being made to the Wallace building, expected to start later this month and be completed May 2011.