The opening of the new U of S campus has a number of people excited (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

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Sep 16, 2019 | 5:50 PM

Many people are happy about the new University of Saskatchewan Prince Albert campus getting closer to being a reality.

City of Prince Albert Deputy Mayor Don Cody said a new campus and police station downtown marks a new beginning for the city.

“We will have a safe downtown, we will have a safe community and that’s the kind of thing I think people are asking of us,” he said.

Cody’s comments came as the U of S officially unveiled the sign at the old forestry centre Monday morning. He took time to thank the provincial government and the university for their investments to serve the Gateway to the North. .

“We say thanks ever so much for bringing this great facility to Prince Albert and it will serve not only Prince Albert, northern Saskatchewan and all over the place,” he said.

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Alyshea Watson, who is a current nursing student from Witchekan Lake First Nation, told those assembled that the new campus was a much better fit for her educational path, rather than making the move to the big city.

“I remembered how I used to say, I’d never go to the University of Saskatchewan, just because how big it was,” she said.

Watson said she was on the waiting list to go to a different school but eventually heard a radio advertisement for the P.A. campus and decided to apply. She waited only a few weeks before finding out she was admitted.

“Now here I am starting my final year of nursing with an awesome group of people,” she said.

Watson added the class sizes in P.A. are perfect for her and the instructors are more accessible. She said the smaller student body makes it possible to get to know everybody.

“It is not just great for me, but for the northern and surrounding communities as well,” she said.

Looking forward to graduation, Watson said she looks to bring her new skill set to a smaller community, most likely a First Nation.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn