UBC Reports | Vol. 47 | No. 19 | November 29, 2001

Group to trek to Robson Square

Great Trekkers inspiration for university's `Next Trek'

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community are invited to be a part of history tomorrow in a 12-kilometre "Next Trek" from UBC to the official opening of the UBC at Robson Square campus downtown.

"The Great Trek has inspired UBC for decades" says Leslie Konantz, associate executive director of the Alumni Association which is organizing the event. "This trek back downtown continues that spirit and shows our commitment to lifelong learning and lifelong connections with UBC."

On Oct. 28, 1922, fed up with the government's procrastination and armed with a 56,000-name petition, some 1,200 UBC students marched in the "Great Trek" from Fairview Slopes through downtown Vancouver to Point Grey, to urge the government to complete long-awaited construction of the Point Grey campus.

Konantz says response to the Next Trek has been great.

"It's 7:30 on a Friday morning," says Konantz. "It's the last day of classes, an unseasonable time of the year and it's a long way, but people are abuzz all over campus and finding ways to do it."

UBC President Martha Piper, vice-president, Students, Brian Sullivan, Board of Governors member Linda Thorstad and AMS President Erfan Kazemi are among those who have signed up for the trek.

Participants will meet at 7:30 a.m. at Cecil Green Park House and depart at 8 a.m. for Robson Square by way of Spanish Banks, Kits Beach and Vanier Park. UBC at Robson Square officially opens at 11 a.m.

Fuel for the Next Trek (cinnamon buns), a survival kit, map and a pre-Trek stretch session will be provided.

A minibus will shuttle tired trekkers and their personal belongings. Trekkers can join the march at checkpoints along the way. The bus will also return trekkers to campus.

More Information

Visit www.alumni.ubc.ca/news/next_trek.html, call Leslie Konantz at 604-822-0616 or e-mail lkonantz@alumni.ubc.ca.