[kokosas]

The Pros and Cons to Each of McMaster's 12 Residences

By SABRINA KOKOSAREVIC, MACINSIDERS

Many of you are going to be living on campus next year and a large portion of you are, unfortunately, not going to get your first pick. At first you may be disappointed with where you end up, but I'd like to open your eyes to the idea that each and every single residence has it's up's... and it's down's.

Residences are divided into two areas: North Quad (Edwards, McKay, Whidden, Brandon, Woodstock, Hedden and Les Prince) or West Quad (Bates, Keyes, Matthews, Moulton and Wallingford).

Rooms:
Single: desk, chair, bed, dresser with drawers and/or closet, corkboard, lamp, phone, bookcase, internet connection
Double: Everything in a single times two
Triple: One bunk bed set (bed on top of a bed with the top accessed by a ladder), one loft (bed accessed by a ladder with a desk underneath it), lamps, phones, corkboards, shelves, dresser, chairs, etc for each student. Mini fridge no longer included.
Quad: four single beds, desks, lamps, corkboards, chairs, phones, internet connections, shelves for each student. Mini fridge included

North Quad:
N-O R-T-H NORTH-QUAD-WHAT! N-O R-T-H NORTH-QUAD-WHAT!

Whidden:
Whidden, Whidden, Whidden, BASH, BASH, BASH! Whidden! BASH! Whidden! BASH! Whidden, Whidden, Whidden, BASH, BASH, BASH!

Built in the 1960's Whidden houses singles, doubles and triples (bunk and loft) for a total of 333 students on 5 floors. Common rooms, kitchens and bathrooms are all communal.

Pros:

• Each floor has a large common room that is centralized on the floor. In the basement is the large common room known as The Cave
• Whidden is one of the most spirited residences with very strong traditions
• Underground tunnel that leads to Commons

Cons:

• Layout: Whidden is built like the inside of a peace sign and the layout takes a few days to get used to.
• No AC
• Rooms are predominantly triples
• Balconies are no longer available to students even if their room is attached to one because previous students kept setting fires on them.
• The Cave has a bar that is no longer used

Edwards:

Built in 1930 Edwards is the brother residence to Wallingford Hall and was once an all male residence. Edwards houses 105 students on 3 floors with singles, doubles and triple rooms. Two kitchens, located in the basement and on the second floor are available and common rooms on the first floor and in the basement. Bathrooms are located on each floor.

E-D-W-A-R-D that is us and who are we? EDDIE, let's get rowdy! Woo!

Pros:

• International House means a lot of diverse programs throughout the year
• Large traditional rooms
• Plenty of storage space between the drawers and your closet
• Edwards is small, which means you get to know those you live with more intimately than you might with a larger building.
• Good lighting in the bedrooms: Light over the bed, desk lamp and a room lamp
• Easy to access bike room with large amounts of storage

Cons:

• Heating is sometimes an issue as it is an older building
• Laundry room- is fairly small, 3-4 washers and 3-4 dryers for the entire building
• No elevator... but it’s only 3 floors
• Room size may vary - Edwards' rooms are not uniform.

McKay:

McKay Hall was built in 1965 and with 6 floors it houses 280 students. Rooms include singles, doubles and triples. Common rooms on each floor with kitchenettes.

Duh-nuh-nuh-nuh, nuh-nuh,nuh-nuh, can't cut this! Duh-nuh-nuh-nuh, nuh-nuh,nuh-nuh, can't cut this! Business in the front, Party in the back! Business in the front, Party in the back!

Pros:

• On 5th floor some rooms have sky lights
• Predominantly doubles
• Tunnel to Commons
• Easy Layout
• Elevator
• MULLET CHEERS!

Cons:

• No AC
• No scenic views
• Washrooms are shared by two rooms

Brandon:[/color]

Built in 1970 Brandon Hall is the tallest building on campus with 11 floors and 559 students. Houses singles and double rooms, each floor has a common room (with cable) and a washroom.

We're Bigger! We're Better! SIZE DOES MATTER!

Pros:

• Relatively small floors considering it’s the biggest residence
• A lot of people means more diversity and more people to meet
• Predominantly doubles
• Close to Commons
• Close to Cootes
• Has AC
• 3 Elevators and wheelchair accessible

Cons:

• First floor is very different from the other floors
• Poor lighting in some rooms
• Communal bathrooms

Woodstock:

Built in 1970 along with Brandon Hall Woodstock houses 293 students on 6 floors. Rooms include singles, doubles, triples and one quad room. Common rooms with cable TV and washrooms with showers are located on each floor.

Hey Woodstock! Yeah? Shake your booty! No Way! Shake your birdie? Okay! Jump shake your birdie, JUMP JUMP, Shake your birdie!

Pros:

• Wheelchair accessible
• Large common rooms with kitchenettes
• 24 Lounge on first floor and The Nest in the basement (large common spaces)
• Predominantly doubles
• Close to commons
• Quad room is very large
• Has AC
• Tunnel to commons
• Close to Cootes

Cons:

• Poor lighting
• Elevator breaks down often
• No scenic views
• Small windows that do not open completely

Hedden:

Built in 1991 Hedden Hall houses 390 students on 6 floors. Hedden has singles, doubles and triple rooms. Each floor has common rooms with cable TV and washrooms with showers.

Hedden Hall is HOT TO GO! H-O-T-T-O-G-O!

Pros:

• Proximity- Close to Commons Market Place, Basket Ball courts, Gym and Arts Quad
• Bathrooms- one person use only: shared by both genders but only one person uses the bathrooms at a time and they can be locked so you're not disturbed.
• Common rooms- spacious well kept common rooms
• Newer building- built in 1991
• 2 elevators
• Has AC

Cons:

• Proximity - Farther away from center core.
• Predominantly triples

Les Prince:

Les Prince is the newest residence built in 2006 and houses 390 students on 6 floors. Les Prince has singles and doubles with personal washrooms. Common rooms are coloured by floor and all include a kitchen and cable TV.

We walk around, we walk around, its FAR! eee! eee! It's FAR! eee! eee!

Pros:

• Cone (affectionately known as Connie) the elevator that talks to you.
• Bathrooms are personal
• Rooms are fairly spacious and long
• Close to the David Braley Athletic Center (DBAC)
• Newest Residence
• Has AC

Cons:

• On the edge of campus means a far walk to Center Core or even worse... ABB (Arthur Borns Building)
• White brick walls have a jail effect if not decorated
• Windows do not open completely

West Quad:

Deep inside the West Quad Jungle, you can hear the West Quad rumble! *followed by animal noises*

Mary Keyes:

Built in 2003 Mary Keyes is the only suite style residence on campus and houses 280 students. Each suite includes 4 bedrooms, two bathrooms, a common area and kitchen. 6 of Mary Keyes’ suites are completely wheelchair accessible.

5 STAR!!!

Pros:

• Suit style includes two bathrooms
• Cables comes with your residence fees
• Large common rooms and study rooms with whiteboards.
• Close to Bridges and you don’t even have to leave your res to go to the Bistro or the My Mac store.
• Close to GO Bus Platform

Cons:

• Harder to meet people (since everyone is in their own suites)
• Not as many first years as other residences
• Far from Commons (Bridges/Bistro aren’t open on the weekends)
• Most expensive

Matthews:

Built in 1965 Matthews houses 288 students on 4 floors. Matthews has singles, doubles and triple rooms. Each floor has a common room with cable TV and a kitchen.

Pros:

• Huge quad rooms
• Large games room in the basement
• Big screen TV in games room
• Themed floors (Wellness House and Halcyon [silent] House)
• Monkey Cheers and the OOOOO SNAP!

Cons:

• No elevator

Moulton:

Built in 1961 Moulton Hall houses roughly 234 students with singles, doubles, triples and quad rooms. Common rooms are located on each floor with cable TV and washrooms with showers. The basement and first floor are used as all-female if there is a demand for it.

Pros:

• EMR (big common room in the basement) and a big screen TV
• Piano on each floor
• Common rooms on each floor are large
• Lobby waiting area for guests and socializing
• Elevator
• Wide hallways
• Close to Bridges and the Bistro
• MoMaWa Circle
• Big storage areas in rooms
• Wheelchair accessible!

Cons:

• Small number of laundry facilities for the size of the residence

Wallingford:

Built in 1930 Wallingford is the sister-residence of Edwards Hall. While Edwards is no longer an all male residence Wallingford remains the only all female residence on campus with 76 students on 3 floors. There is one common room with cable TV and kitchens on the first and second floors.

Heeey Wally! Hey Baby!

Pros:

• All female residence (despite popular belief it’s not a residence filled with Daddy’s Girls)
• Tea Room
• One of the original six buildings built in the 1930’s
• Large rooms and large storage in closets

Cons:

• No carpeting in bedrooms
• Communal bathrooms
• No elevator... but it’s only 3 floors

Bates:

Built in 1973 Bates is the only apartment style residence on campus. Bates houses 501 students on 5 floors. Apartments have 2, 4 or 6 students with a common area, kitchen, toilet room and shower room. Games rooms and study rooms are located in the basement. Bates also has two elevators.

Pros:

• Apartments- common areas are shared with only your room mates and not the entire floor
• Cable- comes with your residence fees so all you need is a TV!
• Bathrooms- are just for you and your room mates and the shower is seperate from the toilet so you don't have to do the pee-pee dance while your roomie is in the shower
• Kitchens- comes with regular stove and oven, fridge, sink and counter tops, cuboard space. Bring your own pots, pans, utensils etc and you make practically all your meals from the comfort of your residence!
• Room- You still have roomies but you get your own personal space that you can retreat to when needed. Your personal room comes with its own key so you can lock it up when you leave if you feel the need.
• Games rooms/Study Rooms- Huuuge study and games rooms. Pool tables, couches, TV in games rooms. Desks, lamps and chairs in study rooms, nice and quiet most times because they're in the basement and you can close the doors.
• Share your Res with the MSU Pres (Presidential Suit located in Bates)
• Close to Bistro/Bridges
• Elevator and Wheelchair accessible
• High density of Upper Years and International Students
• And it’s ALREADY ON THE MAP! (From those who love the Knight Life)

Cons:

• No public bathrooms- If you gotta go... do so before you leave your apartment, there are no communal bathrooms that you can quickly go to
• Floor dynamic- Being in an apartment makes it a tad harder to have a united floor dynamic because there are no floor specific communal common rooms where people watch TV, play games and socialize together
• Narrow Halls
• Bad Layout
• Unidentified Mascot that is apparently a bear but looks more like an aardvark
• No AC
• The front door is actually the back which has a weird button you have to press before the door will unlock.
• You have to bring your own microwave
• You have to pay for your own toilet paper!

Thanks to the following people who helped compile this article:
Danielle
Drew
Eva
Sam


READ MORE PROS AND CONS for each of the RES COMMON ROOMS! CLICK HERE.

[JBeans]

Matthews actually had 2 doors open after 11 pm last year (A and D).
I raised a safety concern and I was told that next year A, C and E will be open after 11pm and you can only access the door closest to your quad (Part of this was due to the fact that room 122 (quad C) is the only room in the quad, it's for 2 girls and it gets locked down at night)

[kokosas]

I have been told it is one, I found this information out from McMaster Security who should be a credible source of information.

[samantha__]

Is Hedden really mostly triples, cause I found that it was majority doubles and the triples were only in the corner rooms?

[seva2007]

even though Whidden is mostly triple rooms, the single rooms are one of the biggest out of all the rez. which is why I chose to live there the past couple of years.

[kokosas]

Unfortunately Hedden is now mostly triples because the University accepted too many first years.

Moulton also has very nice singles

[.:callen:.]

Great article!

Thanks for not putting 'all-female residence' as a con for Wally

[kokosas]

Haha, it's not a con! I've heard those girls are crazy fun!

[spiotrowski]

Great article!
Does anyone have any other pictures of the Moulton triple rooms because most of the pictures I've seen on the mac site, you can't see too much.

[kenneth526]

Originally Posted by kokosas

Unfortunately Hedden is now mostly triples because the University accepted too many first years.

Really? That's interesting because in previous years, Hedden had 3 CAs on every floor with triple rooms since they had to deal with more residents. This year there are two RLS members per floor in Hedden, so I was under the impression that there are only double/single rooms.

[nicole.h]

I think they had to hire the third CA for each floor when they realized that Hedden was going to have triples.

[kokosas]

From what I've heard it's going to continue to be triples this year, as for RLS I have no idea what they do in that situation, perhaps it is doubles but I haven't heard otherwise. If I do though, I'll change it in the article.

[FlyWithMac]

Originally Posted by Kokosas

Les Prince:
Pros:
Close to the David Braley Athletic Center (DBAC)

Isn't McKay Hall much more closer to David Braley Athletic Centre than Les Prince ??

If you look at the map, Les Prince is still far from it! Though, I think Les Prince is much closer to Ronald V Joyce Stadium than DBAC.

[kokosas]

DBAC and the stadium are right beside each other. All of the north quad is really close to the gym actually. If you've never been to Mac and you're only looking at a map the campus seems larger than it is.

[FlyWithMac]

Yes I've been to Mac but I guess I haven't really seen the true length of the footbal field which looks very deceiving in the pictures.