Education

6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017 By Jim Timlick for the Free Press When Red River College opened its downtown campus on Princess Avenue 15 years ago, no one knew at the time what kind of impact it might have on the surrounding Exchange District. Today, it's fair to say the college has been one of the engines that has driven the recent economic and architectural revitalization of one of Winnipeg's most historically significant neighbourhoods. The college draws an estimated 5,000 students and staff into the Exchange daily, which in turn has generated a huge amount of business activity. It's also earned widespread praise for incorporating heritage elements into projects like the Roblin Centre — home to the school's business, creative arts and IT programs — and the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute (PGI). "It was a decision that was a little bit ahead of its time," RRC president Paul Vogt says of the college's move into the Exchange. "I think it was a good hunch (on the college's part). This was before (urban studies theorist) Richard Florida came out talking about how if you really want to create an innovative area, it should be in the downtown where there's a lot of diversity and fairly low-cost entry into business. I really credit my predecessors for having that foresight." The school's Paterson GlobalFoods Institute is another example of that foresight. Located in the former Union Bank Tower, the city's first skyscraper, PGI is home to the college's School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, as well as its Culinary Research & Innovation program. More than 600 students have graduated from the School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts since it relocated from RRC's Notre Dame Campus during the 2012-13 academic year, with many of them now working at or running their own restaurants in the Exchange. "Moving the culinary program downtown allowed us to do two things. One was to expand the program. It was really able to grow because of moving into the Paterson building," Vogt says. "It also allowed us to add the research component… and we now work closely with many Manitoba food companies." The Culinary Research & Innovation program is in its second year of operation and has already partnered with over 30 businesses and organizations both big and small on nearly two dozen projects. It received $2.3 million in funding through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) grant to develop collaborative research projects between the college and industry. To date, the program has collaborated on everything from turning spent grain into miso (a traditional Japanese seasoning) with two local craft breweries to helping a handful of homegrown food companies develop new flavours and product concepts. Its industry partners include Piccola Cucina, a local company that creates traditional Italian cuisine with a modern twist, MSPrebiotics in Carberry, Farmery and Torque breweries, the Barley Council of Canada and the University of Manitoba's Food Sciences department. Joel Lamoureux, research manager of the program, says the number of groups wanting to work with the college continues to grow as the program's profile increases. Part of the attraction for companies to work with the college, he says, is that the school's staff and students can help speed up the research and development process. "It gives (companies) an opportunity to solve challenges (for which) they may not have access to the resources they need to do it on their own," he says. "We also have the creativity. It's really a culinary approach that helps streamline and provide on-trend and unique ideas." RRC's influence in the Exchange is only likely to grow. It recently opened the ACE Project Space on McDermot Avenue, where IT students work with entrepreneurs- in-residence on new technologies. It's also expressed interest in the former Public Safety Building site as part of efforts to boost affordable housing stock for students in the Exchange. The college is also set to begin work later this year on its new Innovation Centre. The 100,000-square-foot space adjacent to the Roblin Centre is set to open in 2019, and is expected to draw an additional 1,200 students into the Exchange each day. It will offer those students an opportunity to work directly with established companies and startups as part of a new project-based curriculum. "It will be very good for students to learn the kind of real life problems that are current in industry," Vogt says. "It's also good for our partnerships with business because if they get a solution or idea out of that, they take it with them. We never claim the intellectual property on it." While all of college's brick-and-mortar projects have contributed a great deal to the local landscape, Vogt says RRC staff remain proudest of what the school has contributed to the local talent pool. "A lot of Winnipeg startups, some of our new restaurants and a whole lot of other endeavours have really been driven by Red River College graduates." ❚ RRC EXCHANGE DISTRICT CAMPUS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT RED RIVER COLLEGE Clockwise from top: RRC research manager Joel Lamoureux at an industry event showcasing how miso can be made from spent grain, a beer-brewing byproduct; Artist's rendering of RRC's new Innovation Centre in the Exchange District.; RRC students at work in the College's new ACE Project Space. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

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