As dusk falls over Durham College’s Oshawa campus, some students find themselves facing limited dining options.
With the main campus cafeteria closing at 4 p.m., questions arise about the availability of evening meals for those who stay late, leaving some to wonder how they will manage without the convenience of on-site dining facilities.
Shane Booker, a student at Durham College, relates to this challenge due to his late evening classes.
“It’s definitely caused some minor issues [because] I have a couple [of] evening classes that keep me here pretty late sometimes, and by the time I finish, the [cafeteria is] closed,” he said.
The inability to eat can often be distracting. “It’s just frustrating sometimes because when I’m hungry in class, it’s all I can think about [during class],” he said.
Alyssa Cole, another student at the college, said the cafeteria’s schedule impacts her routine.
“It’s tough because it can be hard to concentrate when you’re hungry, and having to leave campus to get food really eats into my study time,” she said.
Durham College student Mariya Anderson said the early closure of the cafeteria directly impacted her studies.
She said at one point, she had to sit through the midterm examinations without a “proper meal” because the cafeteria was closed. “I’m pretty sure that it impacted my performance.”
Brandon Cebulak, general manager at Chartwells, a division of Compass Group Canada, which runs food services on campus, explained the decision-making process that goes into setting the cafeteria’s operating hours.
To meet the varied demands of students, particularly during busy campus hours, Cebulak says the corporate communications team and the college work together to decide when the cafeteria should be open.
Cebulak listed the current after-hours dining alternatives accessible to students, including Tim Hortons B-Wing, which is open daily until 7 p.m. and serves a range of menu items like wraps, bowls, sandwiches and soups.
Additionally, he says the South Village Dining Hall offers a variety of freshly prepared, made-to-order menu selections to guests, faculty, and staff until 9 p.m. on weekdays and 8 p.m. on weekends.
Although Cole was aware of the alternative dining options on campus, she had a strong opinion about the South Village Dining Hall.
“It is almost $30 just to enter the dining hall for dinner, and what if you don’t eat a lot, then it’s just a waste of money,” she said.
Cebulak said his team is always looking for ways to improve food service.
He said they may consider expanding after-hours vending options to offer a wider selection of convenient and healthy meal choices. Cebulak said it’s important for the campus community to provide feedback.
Cebulak reminded students their demands are being considered and efforts are being made to improve the dining experience on campus.