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Dal fights fire

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Laura Conrad, News Editor 

 

A fire struck Dalhousie just before midnight on July 24 setting off a chain reaction of damage.

The fire originated on the roof of the Life Sciences Centre and was luckily contained to the roof. However the heat from the fire set off the sprinkler system soaking all eight storeys.

Also as a result of the fire, a water line broke in the tunnel connecting to the Chase Building. Due to the broken water line, the Chase Building as well as the Macdonald and Chemistry Buildings were closed for several days. The basement of the Chase Building suffered water damage as a result.

Emergency responders were called to the scene right away, and after a few days of investigation the fire was determined to have been an accident.

The day of the fire construction workers were installing a new access hatch on the roof of the Life Sciences Centre. They used a torch to soften the rubber membrane surrounding the access hatch and the remaining embers from the torch caused the fire to develop later that evening.

Most of the damage from the fire was limited to the roof of the Life Sciences Centre. At one point the flames overheated a fire extinguisher on the roof, which exploded.

“The explosion didn’t contribute to the fire, it was caused by the fire,” Dalhousie University Spokesperson Charles Crosby said.

He said the fire damaged some administrative offices on the eighth floor, including the biology department. The greenhouse on the eighth floor also experienced minimal damage.

“There was no research lost,” Crosby said. “We’re very lucky in terms of the extent of actual fire damage, and that the spread was minimal.”

Fortunately new students attending Dalhousie in the fall will not be facing limited building access because of the fire. Crosby said the fire damage should have no impact on students and all repairs should be completed by the end of the year.

“Emergency responders did their jobs,” he said, “so we don’t expect there will be any long-term impact for students.”

Halifax hits puberty

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Lisa Delaney, News Contributor 

 

Around this time of year Halifax usually gets an upgrade, aesthetically speaking, and in the past year Halifax has received more than just a facelift. The expansion of Metro Transit’s service in Dartmouth – changing atmosphere of the downtown scene – and the makeover of the Halifax Farmers’ Market all signify the beginning of change.

The Halifax peninsula is the hub of the municipality, but the city centre might soon move over the bridge and across the harbour. Over the past year, downtown Dartmouth has experienced some modifications, the biggest being the planned expansion of the Metro Transit terminal next to the Dartmouth Sportsplex. The project will cost an estimated $9.5 million, including 16 bus depots, and will likely begin construction in October 2010.

Dartmouth resident and fourth-year Dalhousie student Trevor Ritchie is excited about the change in design and the possibility for more bus routes.

“The one thing I would like to see in this terminal is space,” he said. “The current terminal is too small for the amount of commuters who use it.”

Those in favour of the expansion argue the revamped terminal will better serve the 17,000 daily users with wheelchair accessibility and enhanced safety features.

The transit system is not the only part of the city receiving an overhaul. The Halifax Farmers’ Market, previously located in the Brewery Market on Lower Water Street, has a new name and location on Marginal Road next to Pier 21. Now known as the Halifax Seaport Famers’ Market, the Saturday morning market boasts local goods and produce, and makes buying fresh and local a possibility for Haligonians and students. With its refurbished, eco-friendly building, the new market is extending hours and offering free Saturday parking.

While the new market has already garnered praise for its expansive 4,500 square-foot shopping space, solar panels and rooftop garden, some vendors have been less optimistic about the changes. As of Seaport Market’s opening day approximately 70 merchants had chosen to stay at the old location.

Despite this, many are still excited about the potential growth opportunities. Long-time market vendor Norbert Kungl has been selling his produce at the market for 19 years. “We’ve become a victim of our own success,” he said.

Kungl believes the previous location is simply not large enough to handle the growth in consumer demand. He explained the new location also gives the merchants a sense of permanence: “We’ve got a secure future here.”

The new market hopes to grow to accommodate patrons looking for daily shopping opportunities.

The past year has brought a lot of growth and development to the city but new beginnings also bring endings. Returning Dalhousie students will be particularly saddened by the closure of some downtown favourites – including Pat’s Grocery on Cornwallis Street, gelato bar Dio Mio, and popular club Bubble’s Mansion – which all shut their doors for good.

But restaurant operator and club owner Brad Hartlin isn’t focusing on the past. “Downtown has been changing a lot in the past few years,” he said. “We’re looking to draw people back.”

Hartlin has recently opened a new watering hole, Club Soda, in the former Bubble’s Mansion location.

“We’ve created a fun, retro, and bright environment,” he said.

Students will be pleased to know the club, which opened its doors for operation this summer, will host DJs from across Canada and feature a number of live acts.

The Atlantic Management Group – the organization responsible for the new club – is also looking to expand popular eatery Bubba Rays to include more space and improved restrooms.

It is clear from these many developments the city is in the midst of some major growth. As Halifax continues to grow to accommodate fresh goods, more transportation and a trendy downtown, the future of the HRM remains bright.

Dealing with those darn post-frosh week blues

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Michelle Hampson, News Contributor

 

Time to put your nose to the grindstone, put your shoulder to the wheel and work your fingers to the bone. In other words, turn your brain on and get your pen out because in case you didn’t know, school has started.

It’s hard to get back into school mode. Especially after that incredible frosh week when new friends were made, drinks were had and parties were thrown. The party doesn’t have to stop here though. It just has to slow down a bit.

An excellent way to get over the post-frosh week blues is to find a good balance between books and fun. You don’t want to fall behind on your studies, but at the same time, you want to take advantage of the best time of the year to make new friends. Spend a bit of time on both.

A great way to meet people with similar interests is through societies. Dalhousie has no shortage of these. There are societies for horseback riding, tea, wine, figure skating, dancing, camping, sustainability, biochemistry, English, rowing and so on and so forth. Check out the Tiger Society website (www.dsu.ca/tiger_society) to find the perfect one.

Going to the gym on a regular basis is a good idea. It keeps the endorphins going and you can meet new people at the gym. Burn off that freshman fifteen before you gain it and you’ll feel great.

Your gym membership was included in tuition fees, so there really aren’t any excuses. A swimming pool, weight room, running track and group fitness classes are available at the Dalplex. At an extra cost, you can try the cardio room or rock climbing.

Staying mentally fit is important too.

That brain might be a bit rusty after four months of no textbooks – warm it up with a few crosswords or Sudoku. Ease into some intellectual conversations with friends before you wildly and passionately delve into an intense political battle in front of your political science class of 250 people.

If you need some help getting started academically, the Writing Centre is at your disposal. It’s located on the ground floor of the Killam Library in room G40C and appointments are free, since it’s a service included in your tuition fees. That’s the place to go if you need help or advice with an essay.

The Writing Centre provides free seminars on writing. On Sept. 16 there’s a seminar on research papers at 5 p.m. There is another seminar for science papers on Sept. 26 at 5 p.m.

Right after frosh week is also the time to get organized. It’s the time to buy binders, highlight due dates and plan out some form of order for all your future notes. Seriously, it’s now or never. Handling the work load well during the post-frosh week blues will make the mid-term blues less brutal.

The stress that school brings can make it harder to deal with personal problems. If you’re feeling anxious, want someone to talk to or need help but don’t know where to turn, you can visit the Dalhousie Counselling Services Centre on the fourth floor of the Student Union Building.

Homesickness might be kicking in at this point too. Long distance phone plans are truly beautiful and should be taken advantage of. Sometimes it can be hard to find a nicely priced plan, but there’s always Skype, MSN and web conversations to keep in touch with those far away loved ones.

Res rooms can be cold if you’re feeling homesick, so personalizing your room might make it feel more welcoming. Add some colour, cool gadgets or anything that reminds you of home.

Don’t be too attached to your old home, though. Explore your new one. Halifax has some amazing local bands and comedians. A walk along the harbour and downtown will give you a taste of this unique city.

And last but not least, Advil and Pepto usually fall in the post-frosh week category. Meet your new best friends. Just try and make a few real friends, too, and you’ll be set.

Park51 debate

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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David Bush, Opinions Contributor

 

This September 11 will mark the ninth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and The Pentagon. Unfortunately, instead of remembering the dead, and reflecting on the impact of 9/11, we in North America will be privy to a disgusting display of xenophobia that will pass for public discourse.

Located in lower Manhattan, two blocks away from the World Trade Centre site, Park51 is a planned Islamic community centre and mosque. Many people are opposed to its construction, referring to Park51 as a “Ground Zero Mosque”.

The people proposing to build this Islamic community centre are not extremists, nor are they terrorists. Arguments opposing the building of Park51 include that Muslims should have collective guilt about 9/11, that Islam was responsible for 9/11, and that it is disrespectful for Muslims to pray near the World Trade Centre.

These arguments are Islamophobic and are being pushed into the national discourse by far-right groups and politicians from both parties. Those who oppose the construction of Park51 can offer only mangled facts and venomous hate speeches to explain their reasons.

The facts in this case are clear:

The property at Park51 is privately owned and the owners are legally entitled to build a mosque there. Park51 is not on Ground Zero nor beside Ground Zero. Since 2009, the building has already been used as a prayer space for hundreds of Muslims.

There is already another mosque on Warren Street, just a stone’s throw away from ground zero, closer than Park51 would be. That mosque, Masjid Manhattan, has been around since 1970 and draws roughly 1,000 people for its Friday prayers.

A strip club, called New York Dolls, exists just as close to Ground Zero as Park51. As Errol Louis of the New York Daily News recently pointed out, “the nightly boozing and lap dances do not seem to have disturbed the sensibilities of those now earnestly defending the sacred ground near the World Trade Center site.”

However, to examine this situation by virtue of logic and legalities misses the point completely. This should be understood as a debate about religious tolerance and freedom of expression. The Park51 debate, in various forms, is taking place across the Western world.

In July, France’s lower house of Parliament voted in favour of banning all face-covering veils. In Switzerland, last November, voters approved a new constitutional amendment banning the building of new minarets in the country.

The overall theme in Europe and America is fear of foreigners, or xenophobia. Supporters of regulating dress and architecture or beefing up border patrols often couch their arguments in women’s rights, protecting jobs, and the protection of secular values. These arguments don’t hold water. Xenophobic laws aren’t about justice for others or about protection secularism. They are simply about the anxieties of “non-foreigners.”

In America, the Obama administration is going to spend another $600 million militarizing their border with Mexico, a country ravaged by the global war on drugs. According to No One Is Illegal – Halifax, under immigration minister Jason Kenney Canada accepted 56 per cent fewer asylum claims.

There has also been an upswing in raids targeting undocumented migrant workers. In Canada, refugees have been subject to egregious slander, called “queue-jumpers” and terrorists. This shameful treatment of refugees by the Canadian government and xenophobic sycophants in the media is best exemplified by the treatment of the boatload of Tamils who fled Sri Lanka and who arrived in Canada in August.

Rarely do we ask why people risk life and limb to come and work in the global North. It is worth noting that people who immigrate are coming here for rational and pragmatic reasons. The countries they are fleeing or migrating from are often poor or have repressive political atmospheres.

The question we should ask ourselves is: Why? Why are there such repressive regimes and faltering economies in the global south? The answers are uncomfortable. The global economic system created through a process of western imperialism and neo-colonialism has impoverished the global south in order to benefit the rich in the global north.

When we deny the construction of mosques, the wearing of religious clothing, or debate stricter border security, we are not engaged in a reasoned discourse. All the facts won’t change a xenophobe’s mind.

However, if we are active in talking about issues of economic and social justice we may be able to get beyond racist hysteria and start to realize that by hiding behind xenophobic walls and words we are becoming a society defined by those very things.

Dentistry’s total tuition cost jumps

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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By Bethany Horne, Copy Editor

 

By increasing first-year auxiliary fees by 45 per cent, Dalhousie’s school of dentistry has taken the drills in their own hands.

This year, first year dentistry students will pay $15,506 in instrument fees, on top of their tuition: a  $4,806 increase when compared to last year. Their total first year will cost them $30,453.

Dean Tom Boran says the increased fee will buy better equipment and services for the students in their programs.

“We wanted to address the fee so that i would address replacement of equipment and supplies, and provide services for the students … We looked at how we would do an increase and how, in the long term, we wouldn’t need to do it again.”

The equipment the fees will buy include new drills,  and digital radiography. The services the fees will pay for will include regular maintenance and sterilization of the tools students use. The new drills alone will cost a total of $1.5 million, Boran says.

Even after the fee increase, when compared to other dentistry schools, Dal’s total tuition is one of the lowest.

“You can’t compare us to Quebec, because they’re so heavily subsidized,” says the dean.

But Dal’s instrument fee is now among the highest.

Boran says this is because other schools hide those costs in other places

“It’s not just the equipment, it’s the services that go along with maintaining those that you don’t see in the others schools’ instrument fees. Those fees might be somewhere else: in another fee, in tuition, or not really published until the student arrives. You’re not going to pick it up on a website,” he says.

“It’s a little bit like comparing apples and oranges.”

He says at other schools, students are responsible for buying their own drills, or for maintaining and sterilizing their own tools.

“We did it as a package, rather than piecemealing it out. The students certainly appreciate it. They don’t have to worry about those parts of it; it’s there for them.”

Boran says that the fee increase was introduced to students at a packed meeting in May, during a lunch hour.

After presentations and a 40 minute Q&A session, Boran says the students appeared satisfied with the schools’ plan to pro-rate the costs.

“No one likes a fee increase … but they could see what we were doing.”

First year students will see the steepest increase because they will reap the highest return on investment. Student in their last year face a fee increase of $2,595, or 39 percent higher than last year’s auxiliary fee prices.

After this meeting, the increase went to the Dalhousie Board of Governors, who approved it in July. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding with the province, tuition at Nova Scotia universities is frozen, but auxiliary fees are governed by the university.

Krista Higdon, spokesperson for the Department of Education, says that the university only has to advise the department about the increase, and that any “fees that are charged need to cover the cost of what they’re for.”

They have not received any complaints from students about the new costs.

Boran says he only received one email from a student about the increase.

“No, they didn’t like the increase but they understood what we were doing, and supported our endeavours.”

Sarah Orser , a second-year dentistry student, says that dentistry is an expensive program to begin with, and the fee increase won’t affect her much.

“My parents help me out,” she says.

She says that she is glad for the new equipment she will get to use as a result. Price of tuition and quality of equipment were not huge motivators in her decision to leave home in British Columbia and pursue her studies at Dal.

“I wanted to be by the ocean, but I did not want to go to UBC. I find them a bit stuck up, actually. They are extremely costly and don’t have a great reputation.”

She decided that the grade requirements, smaller class sizes, and the laptop program, which has the school set every student up with a MacBook Pro containing all the textbooks and software needed for the year, available at Dal fit her best.

 

*Instrument fees are charged starting in second-year at Quebec universities
** Called clinical fees, kit costs, or auxiliary fees depending on the school. We have not include any other fees, such as student union fees, in these figures.
*** UBC’s website was down at press time, but their total fees over four years are the highest in Canada.

 

The original version of this article misspelled the name of the dean of dentistry as “Tom Moran.” We regret the error.

Something for everyone at campus bars

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Erica Eades and Rebecca Spence, Arts Editors

 

The Grawood: Great campus nightlife

If you’re coming to university straight out of high school, chances are you haven’t quite reached the legal drinking age in Nova Scotia (which is 19). But that doesn’t mean you don’t love a night out.

The Grawood Campus Pub, at the back of the Student Union Building, has a wet/dry policy gives underage students a taste of the Halifax nightlife, without the need of a fake ID. By giving wristbands to guests 18 and under, bar staff can easily identify the non-drinkers. This means students of all ages can have a safe and fun night out.

For those 19 and up, the infamous yards of beer are always a hit. These wooden trays hold about the same amount of beer as a pitcher, but they are conveniently pre-divided into seven or eight small glasses. They’re perfect for sharing amongst a few friends! The pub also offers numerous power hours and drink deals throughout the week.

Because the Grawood is owned and operated by the Dalhousie Student Union, it regularly hosts university-run events, such as the Think Pink fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Dalhousie’s Got Talent, and an annual Halloween party.

The pub has also hosted numerous Canadian bands such as Sloan, The Joel Plaskett Emergency, and Ill Scarlett.

Trivia on Thursday nights is another Grawood staple. Come out with a group of friends and test your knowledge on a wide range of subject matter.

On Friday nights, the Grawood offers free bookings for Dal student societies. This provides an opportunity for societies to host banquets, fundraisers and various other social events.

If you’re just looking for a place to hang out with some friends, the pub offers a comfortable and casual environment that is sure to meet your needs. With pool tables, various seating areas and a decent-sized dance floor, the Grawood Campus Pub has something for everyone.

 

The Wardroom: Creepy only on Mondays

Located just below the Arts and Administration Building lobby on the King’s campus, the HMCS Wardroom functions as a student lounge by day and a local watering hole by night. Its wet/dry liquor license allows students of all ages to enjoy the low-key social scene that the Wardroom has to offer. The bar gives you the option to just relax and play some pool and foosball, or take advantage of the cheap bar prices and get a bit rowdy.

This year the Wardroom is under new administration and is also going through some minor renovations. Asher Goldstein, the newly-hired sales manager, says the new management structure has vastly improved their ability to create real and tangible change; both in the renovation committee process and in improving the Wardroom’s day-to-day operations.

“Not to deprecate the past organization, but there just weren’t the systems in place to organize proactive work and improvement,” says Goldstein, a third-year King’s student.

He says this year customers will likely see extended hours, a revamped product line increasing to six draft lines, and a more active inclusion of non-King’s students on slower nights.

Although he can’t say which beers will be on tap, Goldstein says students they will have “a lovely selection to suit the palate and season.”

In terms of the physical space, he says they are removing the hollow spots in the floor, as well as the busted piping beneath.

The new management team is committed to keeping the bar more financially accountable and stable, he says. They have found sponsorship agreements that will earn the bar enough money to mediate the cost of the minimum wage increases in Nova Scotia.

“That way we can keep the prices lower for our customers than they would have had to have been otherwise,” says Goldstein. “We want to make sure that the Wardroom will be here for another 31 years.”

The Wardroom, while it may not be the classiest joint in town, certainly has a lot to offer: proximity, prices and a friendly atmosphere. Do we need any other reason to check it out this September?

“Its not a place to go and get creeped on,” says Goldstein. “Except maybe on a Monday.”

 

Grad House: Re-opens in the fall?

If you asked a second-year Dalhousie student about the Grad House, they might reply with “huh?,” “who?” or perhaps “say whaaaaat?”

The Grad House is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, nestled in a sesame seed bun of mystery. Okay, that might be an overstatement. To put it simply, it seems that nobody knows what the Grad House’s deal has been for the past year.

After closing its doors in April 2009, the new and improved Grad House was set to reopen in Sept. 2009. Month after month, students patiently waited for their beloved pub to come back. By spring thaw, it seemed that many of those students had given up and lost hope. Now, in August 2010 [at the time of publication], the President of the Dalhousie Association of Graduate Students (DAGS), Eric Snow, is confident that the Grad House is “on track to be open and fully ready to go for Orientation Week in September.”

“We’re ready to go!” says Snow in a letter he distributed to the student community.

Although Snow is vague about the reasons behind the frustrating delays, he alludes to problems with the building’s capacity. The initial building code set the capacity for the new Grad House at a mere 50 people. According to Snow, DAGS has successfully been lobbying the university to boost the capacity to 110 people – although that improvement will require further renovations.

The controversy over its frustrating delays aside, the new Grad House will have a ton of great features that will hopefully make the long wait worthwhile. From a fresh, modern space to chilled beer mugs to outdoor speakers on the deck, there are many perks to get pumped about. Students will also be able to enjoy snacks from the locally sourced food retailer, Café Europe, which specializes in French crepes, as well as soups, sandwiches, baked goods, and Samosas. In addition, students can purchase Laughing Whale fair trade, organic coffee.

There are even plans to mount a flat-screen television above the fireplace, with talk of hooking up an old-school Nintendo to the flat-screen. Just don’t be surprised if it doesn’t happen until 2016.

This is the year

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Dylan Matthias, Sports Editor

Is this the year?

Forgive the cliché, but we don’t quite mean it the way you think we do. Dal aren’t going to win AUS or CIS hockey honours this year.

The question is will this be the year Dal men’s hockey finally make the playoffs?

It’s been a long time coming, and that time has included many years of being nearly the worst university hockey team in Canada, and, in 2007-2008, statistically the worst in North America. But that has changed, and there’s reason to hope this season might be the year.

Last year, men’s hockey missed the postseason by one agonizing point, albeit one point they could have snatched in the final few games but failed to do so.

The Tigers were a far better team after January last year, especially when Buffalo Sabres’ draft-pick Ben Breault arrived from the QJMHL and started scoring immediately. They have consistent and deep goaltending with Bobby Nadeau and Josh Disher. This is a team that has enough pieces to get to the playoffs, now they need to have a consistent season. To help them do just that coach Belliveau made impressive additions to his squad over the summer including right-wing Pat Daley who lead the OHL’s Peterborough Petes last season with 28 goals and 73 points. Belliveau recruited additional fire-power in Pierre-Alexandre Vandall who lead the QMJHL’s Shawingan Cataractes in scoring last year with 31 goals and 75 points.

The women’s hockey team have one of the better university players in the conference in Jocelyn LeBlanc, but when she got hurt last year, the team struggled. Secondary scorers Rebecca Sweet and Fielding Montgomery need to be more consistent, and the rest of the group needs to be more healthy – the Tigers rarely iced a full roster down the stretch last year.

Rookie goalie Ashley Boutilier showed potential last year but didn’t quite grow into the starting spot she was offered. 8 of the Tigers 11 wins last year came at home which suggests that the team could be headed for a promising year if they can figure how to win on the road. The key will lie in the team’s ability to supplement LeBlanc, who accounted for 1 of every 4 Dalhousie goals last season; until the Tigers find a new way to put the puck in the net, so goes LeBlanc, so go the Tigers.

Dalhousie head coach Lesley Jordan was knocked out of the playoffs by her sister Liza, head coach of Saint Mary’s women’s hockey team. The two meet again on day two of the season, Oct. 17.

It shouldn’t happen again

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Dylan Matthias, Sports Editor

The Dalhousie Tigers soccer teams should collectively promise their fans that it won’t happen again. They have probably already promised themselves that.

On a freezing cold November weekend in 2009, both the women’s and men’s Dalhousie soccer teams –  dominant forces in AUS – fell at the first playoff hurdle to vastly weaker teams. A year that could have seen Dalhousie compete properly at nationals ended early, and AUS soccer fans got to watch UPEI and St. FX get bounced quickly at Nationals in Toronto and Burnley.

The men will be strong, and would have been even if head coach Pat Nearing had not addressed the weakness in full back by adding numerous multi-role defenders, including Zach Bauld and Kieran Hooey. Nearing has also recruited a new striker in Tyler Lewars to replace the departed Michel Daoust who lead the Tigers last season with six goals. Ben Ur is one of the best university goalkeepers in the country, and Dal have box-to-box man Ross Hagen in the midfield. Adding Lewars and some wide defense should make the team very hard to beat.

The women were defensive specialists last year, a fact emphasized by a roster that included four goalkeepers. This is the last year for the Tigers’ core, which includes Jeanette Huck, Katie Richard, and Kate MacDonald, so the team shouldn’t lack motivation.

The Tigers did lose midfielders Teresa Morrison, Laura Johnstone, and Ashley Donald, but they still possess a deep midfield, including Reika Santilli, Anna McKilligan, and Beth O’Reilly.

The rookie trio of Emma Landry, Joanna Blodgett, and O’Reilly managed one competitive goal between them in 2009. They need to score more or risk losing playing time to new recruits Bianca Jakisa and Daphne Wallace up front.

The Tigers best area is their defense, which is loaded with talent. Their starting back four would usually be Huck, Amanda Henry, Colleen MacDonald, and Alannah McLean, a group that could take on any AUS attack. Head coach Jack Hutchison has also added Andie Vanderlaan, a potentially stand-out rookie to the group. Stephanie Crewe should also help cover for the oft-injured McLean, as well.

The Tigers are a balanced group and, barring another playoff defeat in a Newfoundland snowstorm, should challenge at CIS nationals.

But we said that last year, too.

The Dalhousie Tigers women’s team opens the 2010 season ranked 5th nationally and 1st in the AUS, the men’s team opens at 8th in Canada and 2nd in the AUS behind Cape Breton University.

Guide to Dal Sport Clubs

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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Tim van der Kooi, Staff Contributor

The Dalhousie Gazette wants to provide you not only with where to watch sports, but also where to play them yourself. Dalhousie has sport clubs beyond the basic intramural programs, and we’ve compiled some of them here. The list is in alphabetical order, so just roll down the list until you find your sport, sport.

Competitive

These sports are for the dedicated athlete. While most of these club teams encourage players of all skill levels to attend tryouts, they usually expect their players to have previous experience in a competitive league.

Baseball
Description: The Dalhousie Baseball Club plays in the Atlantic division of the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association. Tryouts are held during the first week of September and the regular season runs from September to the end of October.
Why play? The club crams 16 games in one month, playing two doubleheaders each weekend. If you like competitive baseball and lots of it, this is the club for you.
Contact:  tm679891@dal.ca
Facebook? No.
(Full disclosure: Tim van der Kooi is president of the Dalhousie Baseball Club.)

Women’s Field Hockey

Description: Dalhousie’s field hockey team plays in the Maritime Field Hockey League from the middle of September until the end of October. Training and tryouts are held at the beginning of the school year.
Why play? The season is short but packed with games. Aside from the regular season of 12 games, the ladies usually participate in three other tournaments across the Maritimes.
Contact: Coach Linda Bonin, lamb01@eastlink.ca or Lauren Hutton,  horsefanatic_99@hotmail.com
Facebook? Yes.
Football
Description: Dalhousie’s newest and most anticipated club begins playing its first season in the Atlantic Football League on Sept.18. Training camp/tryouts begin on Sept. 1 and run until Sept. 12.
Why play? This is Dalhousie’s first football team in decades. The fan base should be large since Wickwire Field is spitting distance from all residences.
Contact: Jeff Pond, jsjpond@dal.ca or Rick Rivers,  fbrrivers@yahoo.ca  Facebook? Yes.
Men’s Lacrosse
Description: The Dalhousie Men’s Lacrosse team looks for their third championship in a row in the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League. The season starts at the beginning of September and runs into the early days of November.
Why play? Try to be a part of a modern dynasty.
Contact: Stephen Fyfe, fyfe_22@hotmail.com
Facebook? Yes

Women’s Rugby
Description: The Dalhousie Women’s Rugby Football Club is looking for players of all levels and abilities. Their season runs from the middle of September until the end of October. No previous experience is necessary to try out for the team. Please contact the club for more information.
Why play? Dalhousie needs complete gender dominance in the sport of rugby. Make it happen ladies.
Contact: Rory,  womendalrugby@gmail.com

Facebook? No

Men’s Rugby

Description: Entering its 129th season, the once-legendary Dal Rugby club has in recent years reutrned the ranks of Canda’s best varsity rugby squads. Dalhousie participates in two tiers of competition in the Rugby Nova Scotia University League. Both of these teams are defending Maritime champions in their respective divisions and enjoy a fierce rivalry with perennial Quebec-league champions the McGill Redmen.Their season runs from the second week of September until the end of October.

Why play? Your great grandparents may have played on this team. This is Dalhousie’s oldest club dating back to the year 1881.
Website:  www.dalrugby.com
Contact: Adam Sketchley, adam_sketchley@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

 

Non-competitive

These clubs are for the recreational athlete. While most clubs offer competitive options such as university tournaments, the average player with little to no experience should feel welcome at any one of these clubs.

Badminton
Description: Membership in the Dalhousie Badminton Club is open to Dal students and Dalplex members, regardless of ability, who are interested in playing badminton.
Why play? Relive your high school gym class each week.
Contact: Steve Foster, aq628@chebucto.ns.ca

Facebook? No.

Dal Board Club

Description: One of the most active club on campus DalBoard will get you in touch with the student surf, snowboard and skateboard communities. Good resource for finding rides to the beach, coordinating weekend ski trips, and hosting related events on campus and around Halifax.

Why join? Mexico surf trip over Christmas break.

Contact: dalboardsociety@gmail.com

Facebook? Yes.

Cheerleading
Description: The Dal Cheer team has been around since 2008 and this is its first year as a recreational club. No cheering experience necessary.
Why cheer? The lonesome Dalhousie Tiger needs some company.
Website: http://dalcheer.weebly.com/index.html

Contact:dalcheer@gmail.com

Facebook? Yes.

Dalhousie Curling Club
Description: The Dalhousie Curling Club curls once a week at the Halifax Curling Club starting in late October and running until mid April.
Why curl? You want to holler and drink beer with the respect and admiration of your peers.
Contact: Karen,  k.e.m.smith@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Dalhousie Dance Society
Description: The DalDance society offers dance classes for jazz, ballet, modern, hip-hop and many other styles throughout its weekly schedule. No dance experience necessary, just be ready to move.
Why dance? You need to work and practice on your night moves.
Website:  http://societies.dsu.ca/daldance
Contact:  daldance@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Fencing

Description: The Dal Fencing team meets in the dance studio of the Studley Gym for their practices and sparring. They participate in numerous tournaments in Nova Scotia and they host an annual fencing tournament. Basic gear is provided for fencers. New fencers are encouraged to take the fencing course from the Dalplex.
Why fence? You want to make chivalry popular again.

Contact: Mike Casey, mcasey@ap.smu.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Figure Skating
Description: The Dalhouise Figure Skating club meets several times a week for practices in the Dal Arena. Members can participate in local tournaments if they choose. The club encompasses all levels of skaters.

Why skate? Once you reach a certain level you can skate without a helmet at the Dal Arena!
Contact:  am260573@dal.ca

Facebook? No.

Judo
Description: The Dal Judo club meets three times a week at the Dalplex Fieldhouse. Everybody is welcome to attend. If you think you’re good enough you can enter into tournaments.
Why play? Paint the fence. Wax on, wax off.
Website:  http://dalhousiejudoclub.dsu.dal.ca/.

Contact: Paul,  p1476215@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Kayaking
Description: The Dalhousie Kayaking Club provides members with previous paddling experience an opportunity to hone their skills during the school year.  It also offers lessons to those with no previous paddling experience the chance to learn the basic strokes and rolls.
Why kayak? Can’t escape the allure of this cottage activity.
Contact:  dks@dal.ca

Facebook? No.

Master’s Swim

Description: The Master’s Swim team offers intensive practices for experienced and non-experienced swimmers.
Why swim? You’ve started the Michael Phelps diet and you need to work off around 10,000 calories.

Contact: Brian Todd,  brian.todd@nrcan.gc.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Dal Sailing
Description: The Dal Sailing club calls the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron its home. They are associated with the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association. Recreational sailing is available for Dalhousie students with or without sailing experience.
Why sail? Beat Harvard.
Contact: Dave Castle,  david.castle@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Scuba Diving
Description: The Dalhousie Scuba Club meets on the weekends to organize dives for beginners.  However, you must be at least Open Water Certified to dive with the club. You can get this certification by taking a course at Torpedo Ray’s in Halifax.
Why dive? It’s a whole other world down there.
Contact:  scuba@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

 

Squash
Description: The Dalhousie Squash club plays with Squash Nova Scotia in the humid depths of the Dalplex. For beginners an introductory lesson is available. For experienced players there is a tier system amongst members.
Why play? You can meet a lot of people. They have are the largest squash club in Atlantic Canada, boasting 80 members.
Website:  www.dalsquash.ca
Contact: David Westwood,  david.a.westwood@gmail.com

Facebook? Yes.

Table Tennis
Description: The Dalhousie Table Tennis club meets two to three times a week to play the glorious sport we usually call ping pong. Ranging from casual playing in the evenings to tournaments, players of all levels are welcome to attend.
Why play? You want to engage in those epic battles that take place 40 feet off the table and into the stands.
Contact: Kevin Chong,  Hkv551436@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Tennis
Description: Members of the Dalhousie Tennis Club play on the tennis courts in front of Sherriff Hall. There is a tier ladder for experienced players and practices for players with little experience.
Why play? It’s free!
Website:  www.tennis.dsu.dal.ca
Contact:  jbaptist@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Ultimate Frisbee
Description: The Dalhousie-King’s Ultimate Frisbee team (DKUT) plays several times a week in early September. They have a men’s and a women’s team which both enter into the national tournament. The team also participates in other tournaments around Nova Scotia.
Why play? From what I’ve gathered, the drinking afterwards is just as important as playing.
Website:  http://dkut.brokenultimate.com/
Contact:  Jackson.byrne@gmail.com

Facebook? Yes.

Water Polo
Description: The Dalhousie Water Polo team is open to swimmers of all levels. They practice in scrimmage games on Fridays and attend four tournaments a year. The level of commitment is up to you.
Why play? The novelty factor alone is worth a visit.
Website:  http://dalhousiewaterpoloassociation.dsu.dal.ca/
Contact:  waterpolo@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

Wushu
Description: The Dalhousie Wushu Club is a recreational club that teaches, trains and promotes the Chinese martial art of Wushu. It’s a pretty flashy way of kicking ass, look up a video sometime.
Why kick ass?  Just watch a video and you`ll know why.
Contact: Rachel Doucet, rachel.doucet@dal.ca or Kimberley Ekstrand,  km608327@dal.ca

Facebook? Yes.

A full list of sport clubs can be found on the Athletics Department website at  www.athletics.dal.ca.

Fools they are not

Dalhousie Gazette Staff
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0

By Mick Coté, Arts contributor

 

Adam White, vocalist and front man for Hamilton-based band, The Reason, once compared his last album, Things Couldn’t Be Better, to a university degree. White and his band have graduated with honours.

Reflecting on the band’s new album, out Aug. 24, White says that “Fools is the job we’ve always wanted, I guess. We’ve waited a long time and we finally get to do our job and it’s the career that we always wanted.”

The Reason have received a fair bit of criticism from fans over the years. Their sound has drastically changed since their  first album in 2005, moving from a hardcore alternative to a rock vibe that “should be more timeless.”

While Fools is significantly more organic and raw, White admits that things did not always come easy. “I can’t even listen to (Things Couldn’t Be Easier) sometimes,” he says. “It seems like a computer is playing our songs for us. This one, it sounds like a rock band.”

Evidently, the musical transition did not happen freely. They have had to alter much of their surroundings in order to accomplish something different. From a change in management, to signing with Warner Brothers Canada, the band reconstructed itself from the bottom up.

After teaming up with producer Steve Haigler, whose work includes albums such as Muse’s Arcana and Brand New’sDeja Entendu, The Reason migrated to North Carolina for a month and got down to business.

The band left the confined studios of Toronto’s industrial parks and shook the walls of Echo Mountain, a 1920s church-turned-state-of-the-art-studio in Asheville.

“(Haigler) seemed to get it right away what we were doing. He was so confident in his suggestions. He never thought twice and we really needed someone with that confidence. We were confident in the songs but having someone there, it was nice,” says White. “He was as passionate, if not more than we were.”

Within a month the band recorded 11 new songs and were ready for takeoff.

“Little did we know it wouldn’t come out till August 2010,” says White, tired of sitting on a pile of hard work. “It’s been a really slow build. We finished the album about a year and a half ago so we’ve just been waiting and waiting and waiting. So it kinda just feels anti-climatic for us.”

The five guys plan on touring with their new material, but they will also do the tour differently this time around.

In 2007 The Reason toured Canada three times within the span of two months. This subsequently affected the popularity of their shows.

“We did all this touring and we never got to go to the U.S. The album didn’t come out anywhere other than Australia a year and a half later. By that time we had no money and couldn’t afford to get there,” says White. “We’ve learned a lot and we’re not going to make the same mistakes again.”

“I know it sounds bad, I talk about it all the time, but it just feels like things are starting to happen.”

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The Dalhousie Gazette is the main student publication at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The paper first began publishing in 1868, making it the oldest continually operating student newspaper in North America followed by The Harvard Crimson and The Columbia Daily Spectator

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