Moving Office

Next week, I'll be packing up my old office and getting ready to move to a new one the following week. My unit is moving out of the top floor of the main administration building on campus - temporarily, we're told. There are long-term plans to renovate the entire floor, but moving everyone out and doing all that work is expected to take about two years. The people in our unit are the first to go, though I wish we didn't have to as we are being moved to buildings off-campus.

On Friday, we got to see our new home, at 5248 Morris Street. It really is wonderful, though - a three-storey, Georgian stone building which is a registered heritage property. According to the blue plaque on the facade, it is called Crofton-Uniacke House (presumably after the original inhabitants) and it was built in 1816. The funny thing is, I have actually walked past this house many times over the years, and admired it - so can't quite believe I'm about to move in!


The interior is in very good condition (it's better maintained than our current offices, for sure!), and it should be very comfortable - eventually. There are 18 of us crowded into this one building for the next 7-8 months, until the second building we've been allocated (located across the road) becomes vacant. When that happens, some people from our sister unit will be moving over there. So it's going to be, um, "cosy" until the summer, with all of us squeezed in 2 and 3 to a room.

Despite the coolness of this building, and the wonderful downtown location (a stone's throw from great shopping, cafes and restos) I'm still sorry to be leaving main campus. It will mean the end of commuting regularly on foot, as my new office is located more than three miles from my house. I'm going to have a go with the bike come spring, though.