Commonly referred to as simply Risley Hall, it provides accommodations for primarily first year undergraduates in 490 single rooms. The residence is named in recognition of the leadership and support of businessman John Risley at Dalhousie University the recent years. He served on the Dalhousie Board of Governors from 1992 to 2004 and chaired two major fundraising campaigns that made possible construction of the Marion McCain Arts and Sciences Building and the Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building.
Design
Risley Hall is known for its distinctive E plan. The E is divided into three wings, known as towers. The tower affiliation begins with 1st tower on the western side of the building. Between the wings are two separate courtyards. Due to the unforgiving weather during school months, these courtyards are seldom used.
Room setup
The majority of the rooms are similar, with the exception of a handful of larger rooms per floor. They include one large window, one height adjustable bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a storage drawer, and a sink. The rooms also feature individual heating controls. The room, and the front doors of the residence, are opened by the student's DalCard.
Amenities
Risley Hall tried to incorporate many desires of the students. Each floor is equipped with a kitchenette and a laundry room. The common rooms include a large television, couches and tables. Two elevators are at the core of the building. There is a midsized cafeteria underneath first tower. All the above-mentioned rooms have multiple outlets for Ethernet cables.
Floor affiliations & Alumni
Each of the six storeys, with the exception of the first, has its own name. Due to the smaller size of the first floor, it shares ties with the second floor. These names however are not necessarily permanent. Floors and wings of other residences at Dalhousie have been named after people who contributed to the school.
Floor
Affiliation
1st
The Rock
2nd
The Rock
3rd
Phoenix
4th
The Bears
5th
The Jungle
6th
The Penthouse
Trivia
The rivalry between the 3rd floor and 5th floor is well known.
Risley Hall has an annual competition between floors known as "Prez Cup," which is a week-long series of events that residents participate in to earn points for their floor, similar to Harry Potter's "House Cup."
