Lakeland College officially opened its renewed Newcombe N. Bentley Building on Oct. 2, celebrating a transformed learning environment designed to support hands-on education, student connection and career readiness.

Lakeland students, faculty and leadership cut a ribbon in front of the Bentley Building.The modernized building provides a purpose-built home for Lakeland’s human services and interior design technology programs, bringing together flexible classrooms, specialized labs, collaborative workspaces and student gathering areas. The renewal builds on the history of the original Bentley Building, which served generations of students for more than 50 years.

“The opening of the Newcombe N. Bentley Building represents an investment in our students, our workforce and the communities we serve,” says Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO of Lakeland. “These modern, interactive spaces reflect how our students learn and how they will work after graduation. We’re grateful to the Government of Alberta for its $13.3-million investment and its support of the award-winning hands-on education that prepares our graduates to contribute to their communities.”

The renewed facility features makerspaces, student gathering and breakout spaces, and specialized learning environments that connect classroom instruction with real-world practice.

For students in the human services programs, the building includes child and youth care counselling practice rooms where students can develop professional skills in a dedicated setting. Early childhood education students benefit from a play lab, child development learning spaces and observation areas that support the study of child development and play-based learning. The spaces also provide access to an outdoor natural playscape designed to encourage exploration and outdoor play.

Lakeland’s on-campus child-care centre has also moved into a new home within the building. Its location creates opportunities to connect early childhood education learning with practical experience while supporting families in the campus community.

Interior design technology students now have dedicated design studios, individual workstations, a computer lab, a sample and project room, and specialized printing and technology spaces. These environments give students room to develop design concepts, explore materials, collaborate on projects and bring their award-winning ideas to life using industry-relevant tools and technology.

The building also creates more opportunities for students to connect and recharge between classes. The Otôtemiwewin Student Lounge offers a welcoming space for cultural learning, ceremony, programming and connection.

“When we invest in our learning environments, we’re investing in much more than a building. We’re investing in our students, our workforce and the future of our communities,” says Dr. Wainwright-Stewart.

Investing in campus renewal

Lakeland prioritizes campus renewal and expansion. In the last 10 years, Lakeland completed the following projects at the Vermilion campus with the support of donors, government and funding partners:

  • 2016-17: Lakeland opened the modernized G.N. Sweet Livestock Research Facility, which features state-of-the-art technology for livestock research and development.
  • 2017: The college's 46,600 sq. ft. Dairy Learning Centre opened. It features a robotic and traditional milk parlour and a robotic feeder, among other new technologies.
  • 2017: The new hairstyling salon opened at Lloydminster campus.
  • 2018: Energy Park Site officially opened west of Lloydminster.
  • 2018: The new Animal Health Clinic opened, reflecting an operational veterinary clinic with state-of-the-art technology and allowing Lakeland to double enrolment in two programs.
  • 2019: The Trades Centre exterior and roofing repair project was completed.
  • 2019: Generous donor support enabled Lakeland to expand the campus farm with 309 acres of quality cropland.
  • 2019-20: Phase 1 of the Vermilion Campus Revitalization plan was completed with renovations done in Alumni Hall's Student Services, Learning Commons and Information Technology areas, as well as Academic Link student labs.
  • 2020: A historic gift allowed Lakeland to further expand the campus farm and establish a bison herd.
  • 2021: Lakeland officially opened the Agriculture Technology Centre, which is home to Canada's first degree in agriculture technology.
  • 2022: The transformed WHT Mead Building opened, featuring collaboration spaces, labs, classrooms and faculty offices.
  • 2025: Civil work on the Student-Managed Farm Lab Revitalization project began.
  • 2026: Government of Alberta announced funding to expand the beef yard and relocate horse pen facilities, as part of the Student-Managed Farm Lab Revitalization project.
  • 2026: Residence improvements were completed at both campuses. Vermilion residence upgrades include improvements to dining and study spaces, and kitchen improvements, grounds/pathway enhancements and more were done in Lloydminster. A new coffee shop and study lounge were also opened in Lloydminster residence.
  • 2026: Alumni Hall upgrade projects nears completion, with north and south entrances restructured to enhance emergency access, improve site safety, address drainage concerns and increase the overall functionality of the surrounding area. Roadway upgrades, site improvements and landscape renewal, as well as roof and window replacement are underway.