by Tony Rose |
by Lucy Falastein |
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Can there be any question whatsoever about which Owl is better? It
seems obvious to me that the old Owl was definitely the better of the two and
There are several key reasons why this is so. Firstly, the old Owl had character. It was old, lived in and comfortable. Everybody has an old pair of jeans or a shirt that's all ripped up and patched. You know the ones your mom always tries to make you throw out when you go home, but for some reason you just cannot bear to part with. Why? because they're familiar, they make you feel right and comfortable. The old Owl was kind of like that. Not a very attractive place, but comfortable, mellow and friendly. What I have seen of the new Owl reminds me of high school with a whole lot of smoke blown in. Maybe it was the ventilation system of the old Owl or maybe the fact that the walls were black, but it never seemed as smoky as that sterile high school cafeteria that has taken on the guise of the Owl. Now admittedly I have not had a chance to see the new lounge section with the big picture windows and the pool tables. It looks nice through the glass doors that will eventually lead into it. The problem I do see though is in the light level. This place is going to be flooded with light whenever the sun is up. Normally I would think that this would be super, but there are times when I like to be able to sit in a mellow dark corner and relax. In the old Owl, you could sit in the sun over by the windows if you wanted or you could retreat back to mellow dimly lit seat and vegetate. What is the most prevalent thing you have heard about the new food court and Student's Hall in the University Center? For me it has been, "wow, nice place, kind of reminds me of a mall." I tend to agree. Whenever I walk into the new building I expect to see the familiar green windows of the Body shop and hear the bustle of bargain hungry shoppers. Does that sound like the kind of place you want your campus bar to be? I can tell you it is definitely not my first choice. The old Student's Union building was definitely not a marvel of modern architecture but I always felt like I was in a university atmosphere when I walked in. This is a tough argument to make. The old Owl was definitely not ideal and I do like a lot of the things that I see in the new building and in the new Owl. It seems to me though, that the new Owl has lost something. A certain je ne sais quois (to use a really bad cliche) just isn't there. Maybe this new Owl will grow on me. I certainly hope it does because I have at least another year left at this bastion of higher education called the University of Regina and I would like to have somewhere that I like to hang out on campus |
The Lazy Owl has always been a treasured part of our campus. The new
Owl will surely prove to be more relaxing and comfortable than the old Owl. The new Owl has been designed to accommodate more people through new features such as table service, a new and improved menu, DJ. booth, dance floor, more pool tables, larger storage space for cold beer, a rockin sound system, and much more. The new Owl has also been designed to better accommodate visiting bands with all new band rooms complete with washrooms with showers, a lounge area and an adjoining smaller band room for the opening band. Of course there is a connecting door between these two rooms just in case the two bands know each other and they want to party. The main part of the Owl has yet to be opened but it is nice!! The chairs are much more comfortable, the food will be much better, and there is a ventilation system. This ventilation system will completely change the air every twenty minutes as opposed to the old Owl where the air was circulated every twenty days based on how frequently the doors were opened, hence the smoky haze that we used to have to cut through in order to have a beer. The current multi-purpose room (where everyone smokes) is not the Owl, it is only a temporary hangout until the new Owl is set to be opened later in the week. This multi-purpose room will be equipped with a permanent stage and The Owl will beconnected to the back of this multi-purpose room which will be convenient for cabarets and concerts. People will now have a choice as to where they want to hang out during events. The new Owl also has a new Bose stereo system that really rocks hard. So if the band on stage is not your style you can still sit in the Owl and relax with a smoke and a beer. As a result the Owl will be a restaurant/lounge during the day and a bar/dance club by night. Yes, there is a new dance floor as well where you can boogie and strut your stuff like a dancing fool, for all you aspiring John Travoltas out there. Also avaliable in the new Owl will be an expand choice of beverages including four differnt types of beer on tap. It will also feature a variety of non-alcoholic beverages for you non drinkers out there. Although the old Owl had a relaxed feel to it like a personality of some sorts or an old friend who would comfort you after a long day of classes, that does not mean that this new Owl should be written off because we could all stand to make a new friend. Simply give it some time and it will develop characteristics of it's own. Plus the new Owl has brought along some of our old favourite employee's like Brent Caron who will be providing service with a smile. |
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