By: Gurpreet Kambo, News Team Member

Due to plaza renewal construction, the seating area in Mackenzie Cafe closed on June 29. It will remain closed until the end of August due to the ongoing construction. All of the food service providers will stay open, continuing to be available through the construction period. 

To alleviate the lack of seating, SFU has placed additional tables and chairs in the hallway on the north end of the Academic Quadrangle, right outside of the cafeteria. 

The Peak spoke with some of the relocated Mackenzie Cafe patrons to see how the change affected students.

“We get why it’s happening, but it’s kind of an inconvenience,” said first-year student Harry Gupta. “I feel like they should’ve [at least] told us what they’re doing to begin with.”  

The area above the cafe is being renovated as a part of the ongoing construction effort. SFU is hoping to complete the immediate construction project and reopen the cafeteria seating by September. The closure of the cafeteria’s seating area is meant to expedite the construction process.

“This is the first time I’ve eaten in the cafeteria in a month, so it doesn’t bother me too much,” said Kay Badejo, a 3rd year student in Resource Environmental Management. “There’s people who come early for breakfast and study afterwards [ . . . ] I can see it affecting other people. They might not be able to do that during the renovation, if they prefer not to study in the corridor where there’s people roaming about. It might distract them.”

According to an update on the SFU website, the Plaza Renewal project is currently “the largest renewal project underway on the SFU Burnaby Campus and replaces waterproof membranes, plaza paving, seating and landscaping,” according to SFU News.  

SFU will remain Canada’s “engaged in construction university” at least until the Fall of 2020, with construction occurring in various stages across campus, including the AQ, Freedom Square, Convocation Mall, the Transportation Centre, and the West Mall Complex.