New green space to beautify campus

By Umaymah Rashid
The Collegian

New plants, trees, walkways and beauty are planned for the new green space being landscaped on the northwest corner of San Ramon and Maple.

A green space is a designated space on campus created to allow students to congregate, relax or study, and since the demolition of temporary buildings in 2005, plans have been under way to create the area.

“It’s a part of the master plan,” Sydney Jackson, Communications Coordinator of IT Services and Facilities Planning said. “The master plan is a master plan design for the entire campus and encompasses all the buildings, circulation and parking.”

Jackson said the master plan would bring new buildings to the campus, improved circulation and improved parking while giving special attention to green spaces.

“There’s an emphasis on green and things like bike ways and new walkways,” Jackson said.

Junior Maria Torres, a family and food science major, thinks a new green space where the San Ramon buildings once stood will be a good thing.

“That sounds cool,” Torres said. “There’s nothing like that in the back of the campus since everybody is in the front, I would definitely use it.”

The new green space will consist of an open green area, new walkways, seating and an additional walkway that will come from parking lot O and go directly to the new green space.

Plant Operations and the Center for Irrigation Technology staff are currently preparing the area for new sidewalks and lawns. The goal is to start doing concrete work in mid October and to start growing the lawn by November, however there are some difficulties associated with creating the new hydro seed lawn so late in the year. Hydro seed is a process where seeds are sprayed on to the soil and then watered with the hope that the seeds will germinate and grow.

“ They’re hoping to get it done before it gets cold, because if it gets too cold it won’t germinate,” Jackson said.

The goal is for the new green space to be completed and ready to use by next semester and that is good news to junior Claudia Rangel, a criminology major who believes the new space will make the campus a better place.

“It’s beautification,” Rangel said. “ It will help make the campus look beautiful, and that’s a good thing.”

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