Closure of Z Annex causes adjustments to Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre
Students and MFSC staff find ways to connect despite closure
Concordia University’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre (MFSC) has had to make significant adjustments since last year, following flooding in the Z Annex building.
Still, staff and students have been finding alternative ways to keep activities going.
The Z Annex at the Sir George Williams campus housed the MFSC and Sustainable Concordia, but water damage has caused the building to be off-limits since the beginning of May 2024.
As a temporary solution, staff at the MFSC have been sharing a space with the Equity Office in the Faubourg Building. The LIVE Centre in the Hall building also provides space for students on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meanwhile, weekly events such as Spirituali-Tea now occur in the Dean of Students Kitchen on the sixth floor of the Hall building every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Despite these new spaces, the closure has left some students searching for alternate spaces to study or relax. English literature student Isabella Presley says the MFSC provided her with a safe space to hang out on campus and is heartbroken about the original space’s closure.
“I found it was always quiet and a cozy place to be,” Presley said. “Everyone was respectful to each other. I can make friends there.”
She added that she hasn’t used the MFSC’s alternate services as she believes their current spaces do not feel sacred enough.
“The connection is lost [since the closure],” Presley said.
Presley believes that the MFSC can accommodate their situation by finding an office on the lower end of the Hall building that is quieter and easier to get to, particularly for people with mobility issues such as herself. Although it provides a space for students to hang out, she says that the vibe of the Hall building's seventh floor is much more hectic compared to the calmer setting of the Z Annex. Mobility is an issue for Presley, and she is concerned that when the escalators break down, she will have a hard time accessing the new location.
Azfar Adib, a PhD student in electrical and computer engineering, echoes Presley’s feelings about the Z Annex being like a second home. He described the building as a “special space” that holds many fond memories for him.
“I assume that we all have many memories in the Z Annex as it was the home of the MFSC—all the events, including breakfast, community meals or just relaxing and meeting with my friends [were there],” Adib said.
Being a graduate student, Adib says that he has less time for social interaction, but that the MFSC was a good place to connect and make new friends. He feels that the MFSC is doing a great job accommodating activities, though he wants a space like the Z Annex back.
Reverend Jennifer Bourque, the chaplain and coordinator of the MFSC, says that although the Z Annex is closed, the centre continues providing services.
“We have multiple events, such as Spirituali-Tea on Tuesdays and the ‘Breath, Body, Mind: An Introduction to Mindfulness’ course once a month,” Bourque said. “We also have the annual multi-faith fair on Feb. 6 at the LB atrium, and students can reach us anytime via email to make an appointment and speak to our staff.”
She understands that students miss the MFSC’s old location but that students can still go to the seventh floor of the Hall building to relax and get a cup of tea or coffee. Students can also keep in touch by following them on Instagram at @cu_mfsc and subscribing to their newsletter to learn more about their upcoming events.
According to Concordia media relations, the current financial situation at the university is causing delays in costly repairs to the Z Annex and no timeline has been released for its reopening.