October 22, 2004
Renovated site outside Purdue Memorial Union dedicated
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University dedicated the redevelopment of the area outside the south doors of the Purdue Memorial Union today (Friday, Oct. 22).
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Funded by a $175,000 gift from the Class of 1953, the site renovation – including new walkways, a retaining wall, plantings that spell Purdue, seasonal flowers and a grassy area – replaces the 85-foot by 42-foot reflecting pool that was installed in the late 1950s.
"Our alumni take pride in the campus, and this class has a history of supporting our beautification efforts," said Purdue President Martin C. Jischke. "Giving this area an attractive, welcoming look is especially important because it is one of the front doors to the university."
Mary Ruth Hadley Snyder, of Indianapolis, co-chair of the Class of 1953 Gift Campaign Committee and vice president of the class, said that in addition to wanting to beautify the campus, the class also has fond memories of the Union.
"We all went to the Sweet Shop, and many of us belonged to organizations that were headquartered in the Union building back then," said Snyder, who earned her bachelor's degree in 1953 and went on to earn Purdue master's and doctoral degrees as well. "At that time the student newspaper, The Exponent, was housed there."
The Class of '53 previously helped refurbish the area around the grave of university namesake and founder John Purdue.
The Purdue Student Union Board, the university's Architecture Landscape Design and Planning Committee, and Union management and staff endorsed the redevelopment of the area, said John Collier, Purdue landscape architect. The project is intended to not only beautify the prominent area of campus, but also to solve problems inherent with maintaining the reflecting pool.
"It gives the Union a south lawn, a space that now can be used for lounging about or to set up a tent for special occasions," Collier said. "From a landscape perspective, it removes the maintenance headache and replaces it with usable green space that is very attractive.
"If you were to look at that space during the academic year, a good portion of that time the former reflecting pond was simply an empty concrete basin because it had to be drained in the winter. During the months when we could have water in it, it required weekly draining and cleaning. The Class of '53's gift provides the campus with a much more accessible and attractive front lawn."
A plaque commemorating the gift from the Class of '53 has been placed outside south doors of the Union building, near the entrance of the Great Hall.
The dedication is part of a 10-day celebration that focuses on ways Purdue is improving education and helping the state of Indiana as part of its strategic plan and $1.3 billion fund-raising campaign.
Writer: Reni Winter, (765) 496-3133, rwinter@purdue.edu
Sources: John Collier, (765) 494-6882, jdcollier@purdue.edu
Mary Ruth Snyder, (317) 841-9042, maryruthsnyder@aol.com
Linda Moore, class gifts program coordinator, (765) 494-2739, lindamoore@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web sites:
Purdue Alumni Association
Related Release:
PMU lawn gets facelift
PHOTO CAPTION:
Cathy Alkire, a floriculture specialist with the Purdue Grounds Department, spells out "Purdue" in ornamental kale plants. The work is part of a $175,000 refurbishment of the area, a gift from the Class of 1953 in honor of its 50th anniversary. The area was dedicated today (Friday, Oct. 22) as part of a 10-day series of events on campus. (Purdue News Service Photo/Dave Umberger)
A publication-quality photograph is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2004/pmu-landscape.jpg
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