Canadian dorms to be built overlooking nude beach

by Virginia Zignego, College Reporter

The University of British Columbia at Vancouver has approved the concept design of a new residence hall on the cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, which is known more for bare bottoms than bikinis, standing as a famous nudist beach.

Residents of Wreck Beach have become involved in the construction of the 20-story residence hall.

The Wreck Beach Preservation Society is one of the most vocal groups involved in the process, ensuring that UBC’s new residence hall will not compromise the environment or beach-goers.

“The [WBPS’s] mandate since Jan. 25, 1977 has been to preserve the Wreck Beach area in as nearly a natural state as possible,” WBPS states on its website.

WBPS also provides an etiquette guide for those who wish to visit Wreck Beach.

“Get nude! Respect nudity and the privacy of others and experience the joys of naturism! Gawking, staring or making rude comments is not appreciated! If nudity offends you, please check out Vancouver’s many other beautiful beaches instead of mocking our naturist lifestyle,” the guide states.

While UBC contemplates the new residence hall, the University of Wisconsin is in the planning process for new housing facilities on campus as well. UW will construct new residence halls in the near future at three locations — the corner of Park Street and Dayton Street, on Park Street across the railroad tracks and in University Square.

“We consider location, food service, proximity to classes and the neighborhood community when evaluating potential residence hall sites,” Director of University Housing Paul Evans said. “UW won’t ever be concerned that our dorms are close to a nudist beach.”

UW residents expressed a variety of thoughts about the potential UBC residence hall.

“If UW had dorms by a nudist beach, I don’t see a problem with it,” UW freshman Sushrut Shivram said. “If I had the option, sure, I would live there.”

Chadbourne resident Dorise Gruber said while she is not uncomfortable with nudity, she would not live in a residence hall specifically because it overlooked a nudist beach.

“I don’t think [a nudist beach] would either encourage nor deter me from wanting to live in a dorm. Other factors would be more important to me, like having the beach view, location and programs within the dorm,” Gruber, a UW sophomore, said. “You go to a nudist beach to be nude in public anyway, right? So why care.”

UW-Whitewater sophomore and Tutt Hall resident Rachel Johnson said UBC should look into other location options.

“I definitely would not want to be overlooking a nudist beach,” Johnson said. “Personally, I find that repulsive.”

Johnson said location played a factor in her decision on where to live, as she did not want to be too far away from campus.

The Princeton Review does an annual ranking of university residence halls. Loyola College, in Maryland, was rated number one in its “Dorms Like Palaces” category, while the University of Missouri-Rolla was rated number one in the “Dorms Like Dungeons” category.

While UW’s residence halls did not earn a spot in this year’s Princeton Review, the personality of the hall can affect a student’s living decision.

“I came for my tour, and when we got to [Chadbourne Residential Hall], the people inside the dorm started screaming out the window ‘Wooooo! Chadbourne is awesome! Chad rocks!'” Gruber said. “So I was like, those people seem like they’re having fun; I should live there.”