Speaker’s Corner/Former MacHall Games Area
Speaker’s Corner
Where can I find it?
If you’re at the more dome-shaped rock, behind it (as you’re facing away from the construction) are doors that lead to MacEwan Hall. Straight ahead will be Jugo Juice. The Speaker’s Corner is at the left of Jugo Juice (if you’re facing the establishment), across the 1st floor MacEwan Concert Hall. It’s historical sign is still there.
What used to be its namesake is currently more of a study space and a hangout/club meeting spot (catch people playing Dungeons and Dragons or Dutch Blitz every now and then). As its name implies, this corner is where SU officials used to hold forums (now, they usually do it at the southern courtyard of the MacEwan Student Centre (MSC) right outside the SU office). It also used to be a performance space!
Former MacHall Games Area
Where can I find it?
From the Speaker’s Corner, head to the staircase that leads to the second floor, but don’t climb yet. Now that you’re facing it, to your left will be a hallway. Continue along there, and That Empty Space will just be past the campus florist.
Vintage gaming places (think The Rec Room, but less tech-y; or any arcade, for that matter) as you see in films or shows that depict the 80s were very much a reality in the university. Keyword: were. That Empty Space in the MacEwan Hall first floor and its adjacent surroundings used to be filled with the lights and sounds of the MacHall Games Area, a very popular spot complete with a bowling alley, table tennis facilities, pinballs, and arcades. It also had these “fantasy machines,” which we could only imagine to be the equivalent of today’s VR. Fun fact: MacHall had to be closed for a day because of the fumes emitted by the alley’s lacquer on its bowling lanes. Now, That Empty Space serves as a multi-purpose room that hosts various events and programs, from student-club events, to university-wide programs, and also serves as the pet therapy room!