Holland College offers free rent and more to tenants forced out by residence

A spokesperson for Holland College said tenants in the properties set to be demolished to make way for a new four-storey residence on the corner of Grafton and Cumberland Street won't be ignored.

Michael O'Grady, the college's vice-president of strategic planning, said the college is committed toassisting those who will have to relocate.

"We've had meetings with the tenants, and we'll have additional meetings with the tenants, but we have committed to assisting the residential tenants, and the commercial tenants, in identifying alternative accommodations," said O'Grady.

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O'Grady said in order to help the current tenants the college will not charge rent for the final few months before construction and will assist with moving.

"Holland College staff and/or students, maybe members of our football team, will be there to lug and lift and carry on that day," said O'Grady.

O'Grady said the new residence, which will sit on land formerly occupied by seven properties with a mixture of residential and commercial properties, was necessary because of the overwhelming demand for their current residence.

"As of today we have 175 names on the waitlist for our existing one and only residence, Glendening Hall," said O'Grady.

"[It] has 186 beds, they're all full for this coming September."

The need for more beds is compounded by the colleges large off-island student body, which numbers 1,000 out of the colleges total enrolment of 2,500. O'Grady said if they can't accommodate the prospective students, they may go elsewhere.

"This year we're likely not going to be able to convert all of our applicants, our qualified applicants, because we can't provide a bed for them to sleep in," said O'Grady.

O'Grady said the college hopes to have the deal closed by no later than May 1 and hopes to have shovels in the ground by early July.

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