As we near the end of it, we must wonder, has all the noise from a year long campus wide construction been worth it?
Fall 2025 semester has started with an exciting bang at the University of Regina as various new food spots have opened up for students. All the while the literal drills and banging from campus construction continues.
New spots on campus including Trifon’s Pizza at the Laboratory building (Lab building), along with a renovated cafeteria and patio and the seating and study area of the Administration-Humanities building (AdHum), nicknamed “the Pit” have finally reopened after months of renovations. Also, the Dr. William Riddell Centre (Riddell Centre) Commons has been given a complete makeover and is now open to students, though sections of the centre are still under construction.
The ongoing construction has brought a plethora of new changes and locations for students to utilize but at the cost of nearly a year of noise, barriers, and shutdowns on campus. Do students think these changes were worth the headache? We asked them to find out.
Students thoughts about new spaces
Students have had mixed reviews about the changes at the university. Some like the modernized new look and wide range of food options. While others think these extensive and expensive changes were unnecessary.
Nicholas Rutten, third year student from the Department of Education said about the Lab building seating area, “The old one wasn’t bad, but I think the modernized look is really nice and helps [me] focus while studying.”
Following their renovations, seating areas in the Lab Cafe, Riddell Centre, and the Pit have provided students more study spaces and extra spots to hang out with their friends. But are the results satisfying to students?
Michelle Hood, a second-year biology major said, “Nothing was in a bad state…I can’t say it was needed. It was a perfectly fine space before and there weren’t many issues.”
Views on Construction
Some students who were on campus during the Spring/Summer semester felt the construction noises badly influenced their overall university experience.
Most of the cafeterias were restricted to enter due to construction, and the ones that were open were overcrowded, noisy, and difficult to study in.
When asked about these disturbances, Rutten, who was registered during Summer 2025, said, “It was definitely annoying, if you were to sit out [in areas under construction]. [Spots like] the library were too populated to get some quiet.”
Many students returning for the Fall 2025 term agree with Rutten as the construction has not yet wrapped up in the Riddell Centre, one of the most favoured spots for a lot of students.
While talking about the AdHum pit, which was inaccessible until early September, Glecy Oliven, a nursing student said, “It waas hard to figure out where to enter from because the construction had blocked most of the entrances.”
Students feel putting walls around large areas while constructions go on within, like the ones currently up in the Riddell Centre, makes the university compact and claustrophobic.
Hood said, “It makes the university feel so small with everything under construction all the time.”
Nothing was in a bad state[…]I can’t say it was needed. It was a perfectly fine space before and there weren’t many issues. – Michelle Hood, second year biology major
What’s in store for the future?
Liang’s Kitchen and Da India Curry Xpress will be new additions in the Riddell Centre. The latter has a pop-up shop set up in the Riddell Centre until their main outlet starts operating.
Some International students are overjoyed to have a place that serves their cuisine. Diya Patel, a kinesiology major from India said, “As international students we miss home, so it’s good to have Indian food here on campus.”
What students miss
Many restaurants which were a part of the University of Regina for years closed before construction began. There was a Tim Hortons in the Riddell Centre where Liang’s Kitchen will soon open. The Canadian classic was once one of the campus’ busiest spots.
Tim Hortons was a fan-favourite spot because of its budget friendly coffee menu. For many on campus, the new coffee spot, the Starbucks by the Archer Library, has not yet swayed them.
Hood said, “I wish we [still] had Tim Hortons[…]Starbucks is a bit expensive for me.”
Many also miss the old Riddell Centre cafeteria as it was one of the most popular areas on the campus. Students said that it gave a 2000s nostalgic atmosphere which they thought was cozy.
The Laboratory Building used to have the Subway restaurant, which is now replaced by the Trifon’s pizza.
“I do miss Subway. I was a big fan,” said Rutten.
Students may not agree on whether they miss the old look of University of Regina or prefer the new contemporary style, but they all seem to be in favor of the construction ending soon to focus better while they study on campus.
