CSU Approves Hive Request for Funding

$185,600 to Be Given for New Kitchen Appliances

NewsVince Morello — Published April 13, 2016

Councillors unanimously approved to transfer the money from the CSU’s Student Space Accessible Education and Legal Contingency Fund in a special council meeting last Thursday.

“This would be roughly 2 per cent of the SSAELC fund,” said Terry Wilkings, CSU General Coordinator.

The Hive, which has a temporary space on the seventh floor, is looking to permanently move its operations there, according to Jessica Cabana and Shylah Wolfe, coordinators from the café.

The kitchen the Hive is currently using will be demolished as part of the renovations, according to Concordia spokesperson Chris Mota. When the renovations are finished, the Hive will have a brand new kitchen in the same spot, she said. These plans still have to be approved by Concordia’s Board of Governors.

“With this funding the Hive will secure a permanent kitchen space on the downtown campus,” said Cabana, who served as the CSU VP Sustainability last year. “It is also a great stabilizing step towards building capacity for a sustainable student-run food system.”

Kitchen equipment will include a commercial kettle, a tilt skillet, a blast chiller, a griddle, an oven and a dishwasher. Since the Hive will own the equipment, they will also have to maintain it, which is where the rest of the money will go.

“The total amount requested is based on two predominant aspects: firstly, estimated costs of specific equipment that the Hive needs to continue making large quantities of our menu items,” said Wolfe. “The second aspect is a contingency cushion for any unforeseen costs that could arise during construction.”

In their proposal, Cabana and Wolfe say that having their own permanent kitchen will let them make food in-house, give the ability to work with other student run businesses, and
provide further employment opportunities.

As to why the motion was approved in a special council meeting, and not by referendum was because Wilkings said the CSU has already been mandated by students to support student-run food projects.

“We have a very strong mandate to improve systems on campus and this was a project that can tangibly attain the goal,” Wilkings said.

The funding and plans still have to be approved by the university’s Board of Governors, who are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. There’s a regular scheduled council meeting on Wednesday as well, but a decision had to be made in time for the Board meeting.

“It was necessary for the Board to have a firm commitment from the students beforehand,” Wilkings said, explaining why this motion wasn’t postponed until the CSU’s regular council.