The salubrious sounds of springtime in the Diag - frisbees being tossed and caught and students stretched out lazily beneath the trees with stereos thumping at full blast - have all been silenced by the deafening hum and rattle of construction machinery chipping away the old and shaping the new.
The Diag, a popular spot for many students on campus, is subject to a $1.3 million dollar restoration project that began on May 5, and is anticipated to last until August 15.
The Office of Facilities, Planning and Design initiated the project due to a lack of repairs in recent decades that have caused the sidewalks to crack.
While the University's renovation is in progress people will not be allowed to cross the Diag. Many students and faculty said this is cause for concern.
"I don't see the point," said third-year Medical student Emmanuel Dizon. "It looks fine to me. The money could be spent in better places like on these dirty, old buildings."
Biology graduate student instructor Aaron Smith did not view the construction as a hindrance.
"I'm rarely there so there is no problem really," Smith said. "(It's) just that getting to the Union takes a little bit longer."
Besides the transient inconvenience the construction causes, the major impediment is the question of whether or not the undertaking will alter the role the Diag plays in many students' lives.
Another point of debate to some members of the University community is the removal of the 'M' which is to be shipped to an unspecified stone company where it will be inlaid in granite.
Alumna Janet Ottenbreit said she is not thrilled with the plan to modernize the Diag.
"I'm a traditionalist," Ottenbreit said. "Why can't they leave the old 'M?' It's a part of the University - a part of history."
The 'M' was placed in the center of the Diag in 1953 and has sustained its original form until the recent upheaval.
Jenny Weeds, who graduated earlier this month, voiced concerns about disturbing the years of tradition associated with the 'M.'
"It's the 'M,' you can't get rid of the 'M,'" Weeds said. "It's going to be pretty rough because it's summertime almost and there is nowhere to hang out."
University spokesperson Julie Peterson said the renovations to the Diag are extensive.
Two new walkways will be created where a constant flow of traffic has caused natural pathways.
Limestone sidewalks will replace the current ones and granite benches will be added, as well as additional lighting, Peterson said.
JENNIFER BRADLEY-SWIFT/Daily
A construction worker contributes to the Diag's renovation. The $1.3 million project began last week and is scheduled for completion in mid-August.
| DIAG RENOVATIONS: |
|---|
| -- Repair and replacement of damaged walkways. |
| -- Removal of rarely used walkways. |
| -- Addition of greenery and new walkways. |
| -- Addition of trees and lighting for pedestrians' safety. |
| -- Upgrade of sprinkler systems and landscaped areas. |