In my first editorial as editor-in-chief of Ryerson's student newspaper in September 1997, I argued for the need to have Gould St. -- the side street dissecting a major part of the university campus -- closed off to traffic.

Here we are, more than 10 years later, and that Eyeopener editorial is still right on the mark. In fact, now more than ever, it's the perfect time to give Ryerson a real university campus feel.

Ryerson's dismal campus has enjoyed a remarkable facelift in the past decade, and is now ready for its major overhaul. Hallelujah!

With the purchase of Sam the Record Man, Future Shop and two other storefronts on Yonge St., Toronto's hidden campus is about to jump into the spotlight and on to main street.

Finally, there will be an actual entrance to the campus, you won't just stumble onto a string of uninspiring buildings. There will be a real presence for the university.

And there's even money, as the province announced $45 million to help with the building of the Student Learning Centre that will emerge at Yonge and Gould Sts.

Closing Gould St. in the heart of Rye would allow students to walk freely across the campus without playing Frogger. It would open up possibilities for sidewalk cafes, a more relaxed feel, and integrate everything south of Gould -- the skating rink and reflecting pool at Victoria St., the student centre and pub, and the classes in buildings south of the skating rink -- with the main buildings of the campus.

It can help transform Ryerson from a place that feels like a big high school for 24,000 students to a true university campus.

Local Coun. Kyle Rae is a supporter of the plan. He says Ryerson is looking at O'Keefe Lane (just east of Yonge St.) to Bond St. He wants to see how the Toronto Life Square at Yonge and Dundas will operate when its 24 theatres open in March, before saying the plan is ready to go.

I'd like to see Gould closed all the way to Church St., if possible.

And here's hoping Ryerson's new building on Yonge St. will be something to behold. At the moment, Ryerson is home to some of the worst architecture in the city.

PAST ITS PRIME

The library building might as well be a jail.

The entire Jorgensen Hall is a disaster. Kerr Hall, the huge old building stretching from Gerrard St. E. to Gould St., from Church to Victoria, is about 25 years past its prime.

Studying in those buildings was a depressing, soul-zapping experience. Too bad they can't be blown up as part of Ryerson's remake.

The team on board for Ryerson's master plan remake is Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, along with Ken Greenberg and Daoust Lestage, so that's a great start. Toronto's ready for action on this key piece of downtown real estate.

It's time to finally put all the pieces of the puzzle together, close Gould St. and bring real campus life to Ryerson.

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Advertisers usually like to have their ads noticed. Well, here's my vote for worst radio ad of 2008 so far.

It's the hacking, coughing, wheezing stop smoking ad by our fine Ontario government and the Canadian Cancer Society, urging people to quit and have a shot at winning a car.

What could be better than listening to someone hack up a lung?

The contest runs until Feb. 29. Here's hoping the ads end tomorrow.