Clark Hall Pub’s days as an on-campus relic are drawing to a close due to recent efforts by the Engineering Society to revive the landmark. EngSoc President Jordan Black said an opening date for the pub hasn’t been established yet, but EngSoc aims to open it before the end of fall term.
“Within the next couple of weeks we will be setting a final date for us to do this,” he said. “We don’t want to publicize a date and then back out on it.”
Clark Hall Pub was abruptly closed in June 2007 amidst a cloud of suspicion involving the pub’s questionable ing and operating practices.
Black said a number of changes have been made to the pub’s operational strategy, including hiring Jay Young, Artsci ’96, as General Manager of EngSoc to oversee all the society’s internal operations, including Clark Hall Pub. Young’s contract began on Sept. 1.
“We want to re-examine all our operating procedures, we want to renovate the pub and clean it up a bit and we want to bring someone in that will not just help Clark Hall but EngSoc as a whole.”
In April, a financial deal was reached between EngSoc and the Commerce Society worth $18, 000 towards the reopening of Clark Hall Pub.
As stipulated by the contract, ComSoc will have the right to demand the repayment of $15,000 if the pub does not reopen by Dec. 1. Additionally, ComSoc will have the use of Clark Hall Pub one night a week.
Black said the total costs of the renovation haven’t been calculated yet, but estimated more than $50,000 has been spent so far. The renovations include repainting the interior of the bar and a complete washroom overhaul involving new floors, ceilings and new plumbing fixtures. EngSoc also approved the installation of LED track lighting, which, according to Black, will cut down the facility’s electricity consumption by 90 per cent.
Black said renovations are in their final stages.
“We spent most of May putting together a plan of what we wanted changed in the bar, what was feasible based on revenue,” he said. “At the end of May, physical plant services came in and started to work. They hope to be done within the next couple of weeks.”
EngSoc Vice President (Operations) Marinos Tryphonas said the new Clark Hall Pub will bring a new mission for the facility.
“I see Clark as being a hub of programming for not just Engineers but for all students,” he said. “All students will be able to experience the renowned spirit of the Queen’s engineer.”
Tryphonas said he hopes that the pub will be a welcoming place to non-engineering students.
“Our first focus is to be inclusive. When you only cater to a certain portion of the undergraduate students … you can only get so much out of Engineers as in of revenue so the numbers were much lower than they could have been if you were inclusive to all students.”
Tryphonas said that EngSoc is implementing measures to ensure that their books stay in the red.
“In the past it was just students doing what they thought was right and there was very little long-term focus or planning really, so if anything went wrong it was just at that time trying to figure things out,” he said. “For example we’re getting depreciating now….When the pub was closed there wasn’t much left in the for physical upkeep so we had to get money from other sources. So now that the pub is looking like it’s in good shape we’re going to be depreciating every year and putting the money aside to make sure that when the time comes we’ll have that money to reinvest into the pub and make sure things are going well.”
Tryphonas said there are no plans to reinstate the now-defunct Science Constable (SciCon) service used to oversee security at Clark Hall Pub.
“We’re not having SciCons. … There’s no plan to bring them back. We’re sticking with Student Constables.”
Clark Hall Pub Head Manager Jon Hordo said he isn’t concerned about employee ability.
“During every shift there will be a manager on duty at all times. There will always be a manager there. We hired what we think are good employees. At some point there has to be a level of trust there with our employees.”
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