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Building the University of British Columbia
All universities have buildings—and, they’re usually grand, stately old stone buildings. But not so the University of British Columbia (UBC).
In 1908, British Columbia passed a law to create a provincial university in Vancouver. Shortly afterwards, land was set aside and construction of new buildings started. Meanwhile, students began attending classes in borrowed buildings, which soon proved far too small. However, when the First World War began, construction of the new buildings ground to a halt.
By 1922, the university still didn’t have any buildings of its own, and the students, frustrated by having to learn in borrowed buildings that were far too small, decided to do something. More than 1,000 of them gathered for the “Grand Trek,” a noisy parade, complete with floats and banners, from downtown to the university construction site. The students were successful in drawing attention to the problem and construction soon resumed. The university finally opened its new buildings in 1925.
Even though some buildings weren’t ready when it opened, the University of British Columbia was successful from the start, attracting far more students than expected. Since then, it has grown in size and reputation. Today, it’s considered one of the finest universities in Canada, and has an international reputation. Canada Post celebrates UBC’s 100th birthday with a domestic rate (52¢) stamp that’s decked out in the university’s colours of blue and gold. |
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