Beverly Crossman, one of the founding members of The Lazy Owl who lobbied for a bar to be on campus in the late 1970s, was saddened to hear of its closing.
“I think it’s a terrible thing to go,” said Crossman, a past president and vice-president of the University of Regina Students’ Union. “I think it’s a much worse thing that the students’ union itself has been more or less disbanded.”
The Lazy Owl, an on-campus bar at the U of R’s Riddell Centre shut its doors in August and remains closed indefinitely because of “loss of confidence in URSU’s ability to serve and represent students,” stated Mindy Ellis, the Senior Public Affairs Strategist at University Communications and Marketing.
“We encourage students to get involved and to make the changes necessary to result in an effective and accountable student representative organization.”
The bar’s lease agreement has been terminated.
“I would hope that some students would come together and reorganize themselves in an appropriate representative body,” said Crossman.
“They need to have a say in how things happen at the university.”
The Lazy Owl has been a long running establishment at the U of R. It was made by students for students, and throughout the years a space utilized for musical entertainment, comedy shows, trivia nights, fundraising and formal events to bring students together.
“It’s not good for the culture on campus or for building student morale,” added Crossman. “It makes a big difference for the whole school experience that people can have, when they can socialize together and learn to work together and appreciate different people.”
“The Owl was an opportunity in a relaxed environment to get together with professors, or more senior students, opportunity to carry on debate and conversation,” said Tom Flath, an alumna of the U of R from the early 80s.
“You’d go for a beer after class and sit and talk about what you were studying, who your profs were, and what you were learning in class.”
With The Lazy Owl’s closure there is no longer an accessible, cheap bar on campus.
“When I lived in College West, we went all the time. To do things that the student union had,” said Crossman.
Crossman and Flath were both residents at the U of R in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and frequented The Owl often because of its affordability. They didn’t have to drive or call a cab.
“I attended trivia night at The Owl every Wednesday last semester, which included going with my friends, sitting and having some food, some drinks, and just having fun,” said Abby Konanz a current resident at the U of R and a third-year biology student.
“It’s really sad trivia night is over because I don’t get to go spend time with my friends as easily and accessibly. Especially outside of school, soccer, and a professional setting.”
There is hope that the now empty space left by The Owl can be revitalized into a bar that remains affordable, as well as a space that can be used by clubs, different student bodies and varsity teams for fundraisers and formal events. Crossman, Flath and Konanz believe that The Lazy Owl’s closure is a significant loss of community and campus culture.
