The Student Newspaper of Imperial College 25 October 1999 : Issue 1154 pass with Europlines Sports Centre finally given Go-Ahead GARETH MORGAN material for the sports hall, as well that the construction would cause. minimise the disruption to stu• as other details to be confirmed ICU is also concerned about the dents and clubs using the facili• The College's planned sports cen• later. funding for the project. ties. Potential users of the sports tre development has finally These changes should not "Part of the cost is budgeted to centre are currently discussing received planning permission greatly affect the budget or time be paid for by the 'release' of their requirements for space and from the City of London and West• scale of the building work, which Southside Gym [the reallocation time, with the aim of maximising minster Council. is due to start in Easter and last of the space], and there's also a the potential benefit of the new The plans, which include a approximately eighteen months. plan to 'rationalise' the sports facility to both students and soci• large sports hall, climbing wall, There had been concern that grounds," Mr Trailor said. "That eties. aerobics gym and accommoda• protests from residents would halt suggests that they [Estates] plan to Unfortunately neither Ian tion, all built on top of the existing the plans; this has been the fate of sell Teddington, but the figure on Caldwell, the Director of Estates, sports centre building, were several proposals in recent years. the budget is more than Tedding- nor Frank Murray, the Sports Cen• approved at a planning meeting ICU's Deputy President (Clubs ton's value." tre Manager, were available to on 14 October. Approval was and Societies), Tim Trailor, was He added that the Union speak to Felix. We hope to bring conditional on several modifica• pleased at the news, although he would "fight strongly" to maintain you up to date with their side of tions, including changing the roof was worried about the disruption the current sports' provision, and this story next week. Union fiasco leaves expedition stores on the streets SUNIL RAO authorities. The discovery of asbestos in The Union's plans for expansion some of the old South wing tun• into the Beit Quad have opened nels meant an early pack-up for up yet another can of worms, it some of the clubs affected, but has been revealed. the fact that the move was to take The expansion has necessitat• place at the start of the summer ed the handing over of the space holidays meant that those clubs it used to occupy in the South that were away on tour at the time wing of Beit, which, until the pro• found themselves in a mad rush posed move, was primarily used getting the move organised - with as storage space by various clubs the equipment temporarily placed and societies for large and bulky at the front of Beit owing to the pieces of equipment. However, a discovery of asbestos in the South number of clubs have found wing area tunnels. The outdoor themselves placed at serious club returned from their trip to inconvenience due to the discover their stuff dumped in a bungling of the whole issue of relocation by the concerned Bessemer ready and waiting for equipment Photo: Jonas Contiued on page 3 2 News Felix . 25 October 1999 Millenium turns students into staf: The Big Issue RICHARD HOEY staffing and reduce the risk of prob• might not be sufficiently staffed with ICU Deputy President Tim Trailor lems associated with the Millennium Wardens, and said she hoped that if gives us the low down on the Confusion surrounds the College's Bug. According to the Residences it came to it, the Wardens would complex issue ol sports mergers plans for housing students in halls Manager, Sharine Brown, those agree to work over the New Year. and asks: Where nexl? of residence over the Millennium plans have now been scrapped. The Residences Office is now period. Apparently, no decision will She admitted it would have proved under pressure to inform students of be taken until December, little time "a nightmare" for students and par• their plans as quickly as possible. Union to inform those affected. Unsurpris• ents alike, and agreed it would not The meeting of the Rector's commit• ingly, the University has found it dif• have been fair, since students have tee on student residences on Octo• All the iatest news and information ficult to find hall staff willing to work paid for accommodation over the ber 1 3th was the last opportunity for horn the President, plus updates over the Millennium. There are also New Year period. But no alternative the University to liase directly with from on welfare and the RSM Union. concerns about possible effects of plan has been agreed. Mrs Brown Ihe ICU, but no decision was the Millennium Bug, with particular confessed "it will be a mammoth reached, and the next meeting is worries expressed about the effect task to sort something out". She not until February. The College's Columns of power cuts on lifts and fire alarm admitted the number of Warden Millennium Issues group will be systems, especially given that street and security staff that would be meeting in the next couple of weeks, MishMash stands alone this parties may make it difficult for the available had not yet been estab• but according to Sharine Brown week, keeping his ear to the emergency services to reach stu• lished, and did not rule out the pos• they will be unable to come to any ground for ail the latest gossip. dents in trouble. sibility of asking post-graduate stu• decision until they know how many Over the Summer, it was pro• dents to help out. Natasha New• students are planning to stay for the posed that all students wishing to ton, Imperial Coiiege Union Presi• New Year. That will not become Feedback remain in University accommoda• dent, said the Union had every clear until the results of a student tion over the New Year period confidence that the Residences questionnaire are known - a ques• This week's mailbag suggests that should be moved into a single hall office will be able to sort this out". tionnaire that is not being issued the editor isn't exactly Mr Popular... of residence, in order to save on But she expressed concern that halls until the end of November. Reviews A dozen pages packed to the brim In Brief this week, with top new releases The 1999 from Nitin Singh and Disney. GATECRASHER Commemoration Ball The thrill of a night out in the Fiction Union was too much for one stu• dent to resist on Friday 1 5 Octo• the award winning Casper Von ber. The reveller attempted to Wrede returns with a provocative gain entry to the Union via the short story of a mans final hours. scaffolding surrounding Beit HOTEL RUSSELL Quad's entrance. The breach led to security officers scanning the Seven Days building with their canine compa• Bloomsbury triots. When apprehended the Seven days presented at a glance individual was handed over to the thanks to 49 neatly drown boxes Union and it is believed college intend no further action. Wednesday October 27th Crossword CYCLE CODING 7.30-2am The crossword continues to get big• In collaboration with the Coiiege ger. Where will it end? the Metropolitan Police are con• Single tickets £50 tinuing their concerted effort (includes 4 course dinner) against cycle theft with another Competiffon opportunity to have your bike Limited number still available coded free. From 10am to 4pm Win a one month, European wide, on Wednesday and Thursday and coach pass courtesy of Eurolines 10am to 3pm this Friday the Tickets available from the Union Office Police will be coding bikes in the Foyer of the Sherfield building, 9.30-5pm Sport & Societies the only information they require is your full postcode. For further iCV information contact the Chief Week two of the season sees spec• Security Officer on 0 71 594 tacular victories for Hockey's Disco 8904. Squad, Rugby 2nds and ICSM footy. 25 October 1999 . Felix News 3 Rubbish filled rooms are societies only haven Contiued from page 1 delay has already been long enough to affect the holding of rubbish filled Royal School of events and planned trips for fresh• Mines Union Office. ers. As a matter of course, the Work ought to commence Estates division in College had tomorrow, and the (temporary) agreed to relocate the storage move ought to be complete once space temporarily, firstly in the the old equipment has been Bessemer building while the final hauled out and the new security temporary storage area allocated system set up. The only potential in the basement of the same problem is that the basement area building was to be got ready. is prone to flooding during heavy With problems ranging from key rain which could damage equip• allocation to rooms resembling ment. bomb sites plaguing the move the Union sabbatical Ian Clifford, situation soon degenerated into a Deputy President (Finance and fiasco. Services), assures the clubs that if Similar problems have also equipment is stowed away proper• plagued the removal of Felix into ly and not left lying around on the portacabins next to Physics. floor, there should be no problem. Despite having resided in this new Bessemer ready and waiting for equipment? Maybe not Photo: Jonas Although blame has not yet location for almost three months, landed on anyone's shoulders, the offices still have no network or temperature variations.