May 2023

The Trent Symons Campus Lands are a precious asset, rich in natural and cultural heritage, and vital to the resilience of Trent and our communities. Our vision is to create an inspiring, sustainable, and complete community to learn, live, innovate, and be active. In our care for and use of the land, Trent will demonstrate leadership in environmental education and stewardship, respect for Indigenous Knowledge, and thoughtful integration of the natural and built environment.

LATEST NEWS

Trent Leasing University-Owned Land to Build Student Housing on Water Street

Trent University has entered into a land lease with Residence Development Corporation (RDC) that will see RDC build and operate a new building for upper-year students on Trent lands near the Symons Campus in Peterborough, contributing much-needed housing within the City of Peterborough.  

Located on a four-acre parcel of land on Water Street, adjacent to and south of Tim Hortons, this newest student housing complex is anticipated to open in late 2024. It will be built and operated by RDC, the same corporation that built the successful and well-received University residence units further north on Water Street at Nassau Mills Road, on land leased from the University.  

“We are thrilled to announce this new project by RDC to build additional student housing. RDC has a proven track record of building and operating safe, quality student housing, and this development will provide more housing options for upper-year students close to the Symons Campus,” said Julie Davis, vice-president, External Relations and Development. “There is a need for more housing in Peterborough, and this new student housing project is just one of the ways Trent is working to help alleviate some of the housing pressures in our community.”  

Meet Ali Giroux, Trent’s land stewardship coordinator

In the Spring of 2022, Trent University welcomed Ali Giroux as land stewardship coordinator. This position was made possible through two generous grants for the environmental stewardship of the University Green Network (UGN).

Ali now oversees the development of the systems-level plan for the UGN and individual management plans for the Trent Nature Areas, as envisioned in the Trent Lands Plan, in collaboration with the Michi Saagiig First Nations. She brings extensive experience in the environmental field to the role. Previously, she worked with Nature Conservancy of Canada as a conservation biology coordinator in Carden Alvar, Ottawa Valley and Frontenac Arch. She specializes in the stewardship of nature reserves, authoring and implementing management plans and working with partners, volunteers, and landowners.

Ali is happiest knee-deep in a wetland or under a forest canopy, donning binoculars and rubber boots and exploring Ontario’s incredible natural spaces with her four-year-old son, husband and 10-year-old border collie/Australian shepherd. She is continually working to increase her knowledge about how to develop and successfully implement collaborative land stewardship projects with Indigenous peoples.

Field Cameras Around Campus Capturing Data for Wildlife Corridors

Establishing green linkages realizes an important principle of the Trent Lands Plan

Trent’s land stewardship coordinator, Ali Giroux, has been out installing field cameras to track wildlife movement across campus. This is part of a months-long project to record wildlife data and map the campus green spaces.  

Ali will use this data to create plans to care for Trent’s 11 nature areas and the larger University Green Network (UGN)—the collection of all green spaces on the Symons campus including the Nature Areas. Those plans will include wildlife corridors that connect the green spaces on campus, making the UGN more liveable for animals that need to move between habitats.  

One of the four principles guiding the evolution of the Symons Campus as outlined in the Trent Lands Plan promotes environmental resilience and integrity and specifically calls for improving habitat and establishing green linkages and safe wildlife crossings according to western science and Indigenous knowledge. Ali’s work is one way the Plan is being put into action. 

The position of land stewardship coordinator was made possible through grants from TD Bank Group and the Echo Foundation. Watch the video to learn more.

Master’s in Interdisciplinary Aging Studies Launching at Trent University This Fall

New two-years Master's features first-hand experience supporting aging populations and contributing to community organizations.

Trent University, a hub of aging scholarship and thought-leadership, is launching a new Master of Arts (M.A.) in Interdisciplinary Aging Studies for September 2023.

The new M.A. in Interdisciplinary Aging Studies will prepare students for careers in public and non-profit sectors, as well as managerial-level positions in institutions and community organizations that support older adults. Students will develop skills in the critical analysis of contemporary aging issues and learn practical approaches to aging-related challenges across different contexts, ranging from individual experiences of aging to the societal complexities of aging populations.  

The forthcoming University-Integrated Seniors Village, anchored by a long-term care home, will further add to the academic and research expertise at TCAS and Trent more broadly, and benefit future M.A. students by providing unique hands-on learning and research opportunities while supporting older people in the Peterborough area. 

Seniors Village Report Series

Trent Centre for Aging & Society report series provides first-ever state of knowledge and promising practices for Trent’s University-Integrated Seniors Village

A comprehensive report series has been released by the Trent Centre for Aging & Society (TCAS) building on Trent’s age-friendly university designation.

The three-part University-Integrated Seniors Village Report Series was made possible through funding from the Jalynn Bennett Estate and was led by Laura Poulin, a Ph.D. candidate in Canadian Studies and TCAS graduate associate, and was developed through consultations with experts in the field, extensive literature reviews and case studies of existing campus of care initiatives around the world. 

Hosted by the Trent Centre for Aging & Society, this three-report series provides key insights as Trent continues to plan its University-Integrated Seniors Village, a Trent Lands Plan priority project. Findings are based on consultations with experts in the field, a review of academic, research and sector grey literature, and a profile of existing university-integrated Seniors Village initiatives around the world.

“This report series is a great example of Trent’s interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, and of how community-engaged research, that includes students, can be integrated with university lands development priorities,” says Dr. Mark Skinner, dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and member of the University-Integrated Seniors Village steering committee.

The series includes:

• State of Knowledge Report: provides insight on five different seniors village models, reviews the political landscape in Ontario, and outlines the educational and research opportunities generated by university-integrated seniors villages.

• Environmental Scan Report: provides a comprehensive review of 26 seniors’ villages from around the globe, establishing the types of seniors villages in operation and in development, with some examples integrated on or affiliated with a university.

• Potential for Innovation Report: provides an overview of lessons learned from the university-integrated seniors village research report as well as potential areas for innovation that align with the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan.

First-Ever Grad Walk-n-Talk on the Lady Eaton Drumlin

Psychology M.Sc. students pitch their first-year research projects while walking the trails

The Trent Lands Plan makes learning on the land a top priority. That means 1400-acres of outdoor space is available for creative usage by faculty and students.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Psychology M.Sc. program organized their first-ever Grad Walk-n-Talk on the Lady Eaton drumlin. The group walked the drumlin trails and made stops to hear 11 one-minute research pitches from first-year M.Sc. Psychology students. The variety of interesting research presented offers a taste of how Trent students are contributing to furthering scientific knowledge in Psychology. Watch the video to learn more.