mu. ..... .

W John Cairns I “on November 29 a Contract

FLANETARIUM CONTRACT SIGNED

government's University Act 15

forbids UPEI to undertake any

the university run by its own board, but UPEI does have the

THE UPEI SUN, Thursday, January 10, 1980, page 3

a separate corporation from planetarium announcement

came as a surprise.

Wm signed in the conference new financial liability

I.oom of Kelly to bring the _without the approval of the

Abegweit Science Centre (A-S-Co) previncial cabinet». Dr.

to UPEI. 'The Centre, featuring Meincke hoped such approval

3100 Seat planetarium theatre, 'would be forthcoming.

was represented at the signing Dr. Grant feels that the I writs president, Mr- Heber planetarium will be a way to

advantage.

buildings that if they are

then go their separate ways.

the SUN staff included, the

assurance that the facilities will be used to the university's It will be part of the lease on the planetarium

used in a way detrimental to UPEI the agreement can be ended, and UPEI and the A.S.C. would

To much of the UPEI community,

Although it had

been taken to the university Senate and Board of Governors, the plan for the planetarium received very little advance publicity. Dr. Meincke declared

this lack of buildup the result of uncertainty. The negotiations with the A.S.C. were delicate,

and they might have broken down at any

one of several points. Yet as luck would have it, the talks proceeded, agreements were reached, and now the contract has been signed. All systems

are go, and the planetarium

dome should soon start to loom next to Alumni Gymnasium.

PLAN ETARIUM

LINK TO GYM

Jmms, andghy*"‘ “tgpgnp , make UPEI more attractive to Mr.Henr$ Cdia.f-ST§hih Prince Edward Islanders.

NTH Werémuﬂilerﬁixy’DEESidentic ‘He states that UPEI, as a new Dr.Peter Meincke, and Dr. university still finding its Kanmth C. Grant, Chairman place, has to have the support ofthe Board of Governors.,

hm agreement stipulates that Um university will construCt um buildings for the new facility while the" A.S. C‘. movides most of the additional emupment.l;

of the community. By being of interest to people, the planetarium can help win that support. ’

The Abegweit Science Centre Will be built just to the north 1 _ of Alumni Gymnasium. The two

Having the A.S.Cw at UPEI was facilities will be connected by aproject conceived ianune of a walkway, and eventually 19Th and for which negotiations the gymnasium will be turned Mtceeded until recently. over to the A.S.C. as a museum. Cmmtruction is to begin almost This location, along with the nmediately and the planetarium's I Wmning date is to be sometime ix1the summer of l9BO.\sThis mans that the buildings must lie finished by late April for itwill take an extra QOidays tOinstall the planetarium maddnery.< Once completed, MNever, the new facility/will Nbvide a rather spectacular White study the sky and sky ‘ Menomena. fThough often a Confllsed with observatories, Dlanetariums are more for deIMmstrating scientific hﬁmenings‘than for watching um real thing. ‘ ’ s , ;’«.

provision for the gym, makes

yvthe planetarium more affordable for UPEI: tit also puts the p. I planetarium on display to theca g public while keeping it away ~" from the more ancient structures at the center of the campus. Thus, the planetarium will be clearly in sight to travellers” on University Avenue while ,remaining invisible to students moving between classes.

Just because it will be on the periphery of the campus, however, does not make the ,planetarium»valueless.to ‘Students. Montreal's James Dumas, curator of the Abegweit .Science Centre, assured those

e contr t .> . present at the contract signing Wmnt f ac a hlstorlc \that the planetarium will be easur or UPEI' He expfessed_ a definite asset for university 6 that the long discu351ons negotiations with the A.S.C., courses, particularly astronomy. {We borne fruit; At thé same Dr. Meincke then added that “E he cautioned that the ' _special planetarium shows could .anetarium still faced one 'be provided for students in

On November 29 University reSldent, Peter Meincke,

called the completion of THE ISLAND."

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