The launch of the new DCU student centre has been delayed until September, according to DCUSU President Niall Behan.
Commencement on the €14 million project began in late June 2016 and originally aimed to be finished in February, but will not be ready by the end of the 2017/18 academic year due to delays in construction.
There will be a soft opening of the ground floor of the new four storey Hub before the end of the semester, according to Behan.
The opening will serve to “mark the fact that there’s people here who have seen three years now of building, to commemorate them and say let’s have a quick look around,” Behan said.
The Summer Ball, which was originally planned to be held in the new Hub will be hosted in an external venue. The Summer Ball was traditionally held in the old DCU Venue, and was moved to the Wright Venue in Swords last year.
“If someone comes in with a delay you can’t really plan for it,” said Behan. “It’s a natural occurrence, nothing we can do about it, but it definitely puts us on the back foot. At the same time, it’s going to be a superb building that’s going to make a difference to students.”
“There’s going to be a new hub next year, there’s going to be a big event there in September. We’re going to have a Summer Ball just to celebrate the final years here, to focus on them, rather than do something massive now. There’s going to be something massive in four months, it would be a bit of a waste,” he said.
The construction work has disrupted society life and engagement, according to final year Media and Law student Emma Begley.
“I don’t think they planned it very well,” said Begley. “They took a full year or two out of students lives and engagement. I’d love to be here when it’s done but its just such a shame.”
“I haven’t gone to the external venues because I thought it was a bad idea. I have no interest in it at all. If I wanted to go out in a different venue I would just go out myself. The whole point of a DCU event is that it’s on campus. If it’s off campus I’d just go to a club in town or something,” said Begley.
DCU was contacted for comment but did not respond in time for publication.
Fionnuala Walsh