More housing options and and an expanded dining hall are now open at the University of the Fraser Valley Abbotsford (UFV).

The six-storey mass timber student housing building adds nearly 400 new beds for students, tripling the number of available on-campus accommodation and taking pressure off the local rental market.

The building is currently referred to as Lá:léms Ye EverGreen [la-lums-yuh-ever-green], a name that reflects a sense of home, belonging and continuity grounded in the Halq’eméylem language, and the deep connection between people and place on Stó:lō territory. The name and spelling were guided by Siyamiyateliyot (Elizabeth Phillips), an Elder from the Stó:lō Nation who received an honorary degree from UFV in 2018 and continues to provide guidance to the university. This name serves as an initial option, while UFV continues a broader, consultative process to determine a permanent name for the building.

The project also included construction of a new active transportation hub adjacent to the student housing building, which provides secure indoor bike storage and shower facilities to students living on campus as well as the wider UFV community.

The Cascade Café dining hall has also been renovated and expanded, increasing the seating capacity from 121 to 350 seats and adding a second floor and feature staircase. This dining hall offers improved food service and much-needed space to support the additional students living on campus along with the UFV community.