A major field research facility, the Morwick Groundwater Research Centre, is being established at the University of Guelph as part of Morwick G360. Located at 360 College Road, the Research Centre, which is situated on the main U of G campus on an important bedrock aquifer in the Grand River watershed, presents a unique opportunity for applied groundwater field research in a fractured bedrock environment right in our own backyard. The Morwick Groundwater Research Centre will be used to enhance field research and hands‐on teaching concerning the use, management, and protection of groundwater resources. We have a large real-world field-based laboratory thanks to our long-term collaboration with the City of Guelph with whom we have teamed up with to address the City’s groundwater challenges – the same challenges faced around the globe.
The Morwick Groundwater Research Centre, previously known as the Bedrock Aquifer Field Facility, was established in 2009, marked by the drilling of the first two companion wells and building the core and equipment storage areas.
Our Morwick Groundwater Research Centre Vision:
We are actively fundraising for the completion of this facility. A generous donation from Edward (Ted) Morwick kicked off this exciting project in June 2021. The new centre will be built on the same footprint as the current Bedrock Aquifer Field Facility, minimizing the environmental impact of the renovations and remaining respectful to the neighbouring Arboretum. These renovations will enable us to create a fully functioning research centre with two classrooms that can become a larger room for conferences, and a two-story transparent groundwater well in which downhole instruments will be demonstrated, including a borehole into the underlying bedrock aquifer to link lectures to actual hands-on demonstrations. In addition, a rock wall in the atrium will be designed to replicate the Silurian dolostone sequence and formation, typical of the local bedrock aquifer used by the City of Guelph for municipal, commercial, and industrial water supply. A rock core library for student and professional teaching and training of research methods will also be established. These features are key to providing experiential learning opportunities for students, professionals, and the public as the intention is to offer University classes, professional short courses, and outreach programs related to groundwater within the completed facility space.
To donate or to sponsor the construction of the facility please email us at mg360@uoguelph.ca. You can learn more about our vision for the facility and about the power of your gift here.
Additional technology sponsorship & facility sponsorship opportunities and naming features include:
● Main Auditorium/Classroom: Naming rights for the auditorium/classroom are valued at $1,000,000.
● Rock Core Library and Technology Storage Facility: Naming rights for the library and technology storage facility are valued at $500,000.
● Outdoor Education Patio: Naming rights for the 572-square foot patio are valued at $250,000.
● Morwick Groundwater Research Centre Sustaining Donors: Donors contributing $50,000 or more will be recognized on the donor wall.
Benefits of the Morwick Groundwater Research Facility:
Morwick G360 is a large, recognized field-based groundwater research program with well-established industry partners and strong collaborative links both nationally and internationally. The Morwick Groundwater Research Facility enhances this program and will attract substantial additional research funds over the longer term. The subsurface monitoring infrastructure associated with this facility will provide the most-comprehensive and multifaceted data sets concerning the underlying dynamic bedrock aquifer system. This facility capitalizes on an excellent opportunity for education, outreach, and technology transfer regarding leading edge research that is both locally and globally relevant.
The Morwick Groundwater Research Centre will enable the development, prototyping, and field-level demonstration of important new technologies that will grow the expanding environmental sector. In short, this research infrastructure, combined with the excellence and breadth of the research team, supportive municipal, provincial and federal government agencies, and an unparalleled level of research integration, will enable the development of creative solutions to the pressing water quality challenges posed by economic development and urbanization.
