History of Cowichan, Parksville and Powell River Campuses

Cowichan Valley

As early as 1951, adult education courses were being held in local schools across the Cowichan school district. In 1973 Malaspina College took responsibility for those courses and two years later set up an office and classrooms at 256 Evans Street in Duncan. Day classes were held in the new space while night classes continued to be held in Cowichan Secondary School.

As the curriculum grew it became evident Cowichan would need a campus. A community-based advisory group was tasked with finding a new site and in 1997 a new campus opened at 2011 University Way on the traditional territories of the Cowichan Tribes in Duncan. It had science and health labs, a bookstore, a cafeteria and student services.

Despite a campus expansion in 1989 which included more classrooms, an art room and a community education department, nine years later more than 20 different locations in the Cowichan Valley were needed to house additional programs. Responding to the demand, the provincial government agreed to purchase land for a new campus.

A ground blessing ceremony was held on June 25, 2009, and construction began soon after. The opening ceremony for VIU’s new Cowichan campus, which will hold the distinction of being the most environmentally-friendly building in Cowichan, is scheduled for September 2011.

Powell River

In 1974 Malaspina College took responsibility for continuing education classes that were being run by Powell River’s school district. At first the classes, which were offered in the evening only, took place in a small white storefront on Marine Avenue in downtown. When the college received funding to run daytime Adult Basic Education classes a new campus opened in the Centennial Building next to the town’s museum. The new building had office space and three classrooms, although courses were also held in local elementary schools and hotels.

In 1983 the campus finally moved to a space that could accommodate the growing number of students and staff – the former Gordon Park Elementary school. The school was leased from the district and originally had 14 classrooms. Five years later a covered play area was converted into more classrooms and a new entrance, complete with a staffroom, boardroom and main office was added.

In 2004, the campus was purchased from the school district and air conditioning, new flooring and new lighting installed. The newest addition to VIU’s Powell River campus is a trades facility, set to open in March 2011.  

Parksville Qualicum

In 2000, the City of Parksville, School District 69 and Malaspina University-College collaborated to build the Parksville Civic & Technology Centre. Today the building houses VIU’s Parksville/Qualicum Campus, Kwalicum school district and municipal city offices and the local branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library.

However, VIU was offering Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses in Parksville as early as 1976. In the 1980s continuing education classes were added to the program selection and in the 1990s the highly successful ElderCollege program was established. Literacy tutor training and university courses in English and psychology were also delivered from this site.

Today the campus is also home to courses in Liberal Studies, various certificate programs and continuing education for health care practitioners and certificated estheticians. The registration centre also serves as a call centre for VIU’s continuing education programs.