Lakeland Landmark Bentley Building Reopens
Nearly six decades after students first walked through its doors, Lakeland College’s Newcombe N. Bentley Building has entered a new chapter.
Lakeland College celebrated the grand opening of the newly renovated and expanded Bentley Building at its Vermilion campus on October 2, marking the completion of a major modernization project that has transformed the 1969 building into a contemporary learning and gathering space.
The ceremony began with a land acknowledgement before emcee Dave King, dean of Lakeland’s School of Trades and Technology, welcomed those gathered.
Among those in attendance were representatives from Vermilion Town Council, invited dignitaries, college staff and students, community members and members of the Bentley family.
King acknowledged Newcombe N. Bentley’s half-brother Phil Bentley and his wife Lorraine, son-in-law Dr. Rex Boake, a niece and other family members.
Lakeland College President and CEO Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart described the opening as a long-awaited day for the college.
“We at Lakeland are extremely proud of our new building here on Vermilion campus. It really is amazing, and I have to say that it’s like ‘finally’ — finally we are here to celebrate today,” said Wainwright-Stewart. “Today is a very special day.”
She credited the provincial government, community partners, project teams, contractors, designers, faculty and staff for bringing the project to completion.
The Government of Alberta announced $13.3 million for the Bentley Building revitalization in 2023 as part of a $16-million capital investment in Lakeland College.
“When we invest in our learning environments, we’re investing in much more than a building. We’re investing in our students, our workforce and the future of our communities,” Wainwright-Stewart said.
Students began using the renewed building with the start of the fall semester. It is now home to Lakeland’s Interior Design Technology and Human Services programs and provides flexible learning and gathering spaces.
The building features 13 flexible classrooms, two interior design studios, a computer lab, project and sample spaces, makerspaces, student gathering areas and a dedicated smudge-safe Indigenous lounge and ceremony space.
Specialized Human Services spaces include counselling and therapy practice rooms for Child and Youth Care Counselling students, as well as child development and observation areas, play spaces and an outdoor natural playscape for Early Childhood Education.
Janice Aughey, dean of Health, Wellness and Human Services, said the new building provides students with opportunities to put classroom theory into practice.
“For Human Services, this is a place for students to learn by doing, where theory comes to life, where they can build confidence and professional skills to help launch their careers and make an impact from day one,” said Aughey.
Lakeland College Board of Governors Chair Dean Fahselt said the renewal represents more than modernizing a facility.
“It’s about creating opportunities, strengthening connections and investing in the communities in which we serve,” said Fahselt.
Crista Carmichael, assistant deputy minister of Governance, Policy and Engagement with Alberta Advanced Education, attended on behalf of Minister of Advanced Education Myles McDougall and the Government of Alberta.
“What stands out about this project is the way it brings together Lakeland’s history and its future,” Carmichael said.
She said the renewed facility will help Lakeland attract students, respond to local workforce needs and provide post-secondary opportunities closer to home.
“As Alberta grows, it is important that students in every part of the province have access to high-quality post-secondary education and learning opportunities close to home,” she said.
The ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting, with the day’s speakers joined by three Lakeland College students and other representatives. Guests were then invited to gather for refreshments.
Despite the dramatic transformation, one of the building’s most interesting connections to its past remains underfoot.
According to Lakeland College, crews removing aging tile during the renovation uncovered the building’s original 1969 concrete floor. Rather than replacing it as initially planned, the concrete was polished and preserved, with faint traces of former walls and doorways still visible in some areas.
The building opened in 1969 as the College Building and was renamed in 1984 in honour of former principal Newcombe N. Bentley.
Today, floor-to-ceiling windows, updated technology, flexible classrooms and collaborative spaces have transformed the facility. Bentley has also been designed as an important entrance point to the Vermilion campus, connecting to other areas of the college through the Academic Link and across the quad.
For a building that has already served generations of Lakeland students, the October 2 celebration marked both the preservation of its history and the beginning of something new.
The same concrete floor that carried students through Bentley more than half a century ago is now carrying another generation — this time through a building designed for Lakeland’s future.
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