RRU launches major fundraising campaign 

Ten million dollars in new pledges was announced at the launch of the Legacy Campaign, including $7.5 million from Ottawa-based entrepreneur Frank O’Dea and Arxx Building Products Inc., a company of which O’Dea is president and chief executive officer. He is pictured here talking to another generous donor, Birgit Bateman.

Just think what we could do together. These words quickly became the thread that wove together a series of impassioned and compelling speeches at the launch of RRU’s first major fundraising campaign on April 14. Over 200 alumni, learners, ex-cadets, staff, faculty, VIPs and local community leaders crowded the Quarterdeck to learn about the multi-year initiative that will raise $100 million to support academic, heritage and sustainability projects at RRU and its historic campus.

“We’re here this morning to embark on an important and exciting adventure together; one that could – quite literally – change our university forever,” said Dr. Allan Cahoon, president of RRU.

The Royal Roads University Legacy Campaign plans to raise $60 million in philanthropic donations and $40 million from government and private sector investment.

“Legacy is a good name for this campaign,” said Cahoon, “It’s about raising funds to help us protect legacies – our castle, our gardens, our forests and all the history that surrounds us here – and it’s also going to help us create some amazing new legacies for the future.”

Ten million dollars in new pledges were announced at the launch, including $7.5 million from Ottawa-based entrepreneur Frank O’Dea and Arxx Building Products Inc., a company of which O’Dea is president and chief executive officer. O’Dea made a personal pledge of $1 million while Arxx will contribute $6.5 million in cash and building materials for the Robert Bateman Art and Environmental Education Centre.

“When I look at my life, I realize the things that make me most happy are the contributions I’ve made – not the money I’ve made. That’s why I’m grateful to be able to contribute to a project and a university that embody the concept of ‘hope-vision-action’ that has been such a touchstone for my own life,” said O’Dea. The co-founder of the Second Cup coffee and tea chain is also chair of the RRU Foundation board of directors and a noted philanthropist.

As soon as the formal portion of the Legacy Campaign launch concluded, architect Richard Iredale was mobbed by learners wanting to know more about what will go into construction of the Bateman Art and Environmental Education Centre.

The Legacy Campaign will focus on three themes: innovation, heritage and sustainability. To support innovation, the university plans to raise $15 million for academic initiatives including centres of study, scholarships, bursaries, academic chairs, professorships and teaching and research projects. The heritage goal is $15 million to preserve and restore Hatley Park National Heritage Site – the university’s campus – including a naval and military legacy program to help preserve artifacts and archives that represent the university’s history as a military college.

Robert Bateman is honorary chair of the campaign that will raise $30 million for the Bateman Centre and campus sustainability projects. Bob Skene, a retired Victoria businessman and the past chair of the RRU board of governors, and Victoria developer Joe Van Belleghem are co-chairing the fundraising cabinet for this portion of the campaign.

There were a number of memorable highlights at the Monday morning event that started “ordinary” and ended as an extraordinary celebration.

One was learning that the RRU Legacy Campaign has already reached more than $35 million of its total goal, with $15 million recently committed by the Government of B.C. for a new academic building and more than $10 million in art and funds pledged by artist Robert Bateman and his wife Birgit in 2006.

“As the images of Richard’s designs for the Bateman Centre come into focus, I am even more delighted with this project,” says artist and philanthropist Robert Bateman.

Another was hearing some tantalizing details about the Bateman Centre from Richard Iredale. The architect described how rammed earth and wood would be used to construct the living building. He talked of huge atrium windows open to the sun that would shield themselves at night to keep the heat in. And to help everyone better visualize what was in his mind’s eye, Iredale capped off his talk by unveiling a number of preliminary drawings showing how the building might look. As soon as the formal portion of the Legacy Campaign launch concluded, he was mobbed by learners wanting to know more.

“As the images of architect Richard’s designs for the Bateman Centre come into focus, I am even more delighted with this project,” said Bateman. “I sense that we all feel like pioneers or explorers working on a very new path which will lead the way in the fresh directions humankind has to go if we are to have a rich and sustainable future.”

A number of local media were at the event and their coverage is here. For more about the RRU Legacy Campaign, visit www.royalroads.ca/legacy.

For information about a Robert Bateman art show and other events at RRU, please see the RRU Events Calendar.