Removal of the current rotary? Delayed. A new entranceway? Delayed. New tennis courts? Delayed.
Plans for Fairfield University’s “Grand Boulevard,” originally to have been underway in the spring of 2002, have been postponed until the spring of 2003. Now that spring is around the corner, the university has once again delayed plans.
“It was decided that we postpone construction of the boulevard for several reasons,” Richard Taylor, associate vice president of Campus Operations, said. “Since the Fairfield Prep School project is underway and may cause future road disruptions and the fact that several important summer events would be disturbed by the main road closure, we have elected to defer construction indefinitely.”
The decision came at a time of financial belt-tightening for the university. The football and hockey teams are being disbanded, and administrators are talking about the possibility of a token wage increase for faculty and at least a five percent tuition increase for students this fall, according to sources inside the university.
The plan for the “Grand Boulevard” called for extending the road from the existing main entrance of the university near Fairfield Prep, past the present tennis courts, and terminating in a circular drive in front of the Barone Campus Center. This plan will eliminate the current rotary, where an intramural field is to be placed, and will relocate the tennis courts to the area next to the Walsh Athletic Center.
“The paved parking lot in front of Walsh is actually the sub-base for the new tennis courts and was designed for that purpose,” said Athletic Director Eugene Doris. This area was both designed and sized to accommodate the new courts, while the university sought town approval to construct a permanent parking lot at the Dolan Campus.
It is unclear to Doris whether or not the courts will be constructed on time. “The tennis courts have been tied to the boulevard project, although the future location is tied to current parking needs,” said Doris. “The courts were to be completed prior to the boulevard, but I would suspect the timetable will be delayed as well since the existing courts will still be useable.”
An evaluation of the condition of the courts will soon be conducted to determine their fate. “We are evaluating whether the tennis courts should be done this year or be postponed wtih the boulevard. That decision rests largely with the condition of the existing courts after this difficult winter,” said Taylor.
The possible delay of the new tennis courts to the new location is causing disappointment among those on the tennis team. “To be honest, it is getting a little frustrating because the courts were originally supposed to be finished for this year,” said Diana Webb, ’05. “I don’t think it’s fair that they keep telling us they are going to get done, and then continue to delay the process.”
Sean Tompkins, ’03, co-captain of the tennis team, also agreed. “They just keep pushing it back. I mean, stick to a plan. New courts would be great for us though because the team is working so hard and I think the players would feel more appreciated.”
Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. proposed the “Grand Boulevard” as part of the university’s master plan efforts in 1994 and 1995, and the $1.8 million cost would be funded through the capital campaign. “The master plan architects suggested that the campus lacked a ‘sense of arrival’ for visitors,” said Taylor. “The project is meant to provide a ‘front door’ appropriate to such a beautiful campus.”
However, this front door won’t be opening anytime soon and neither will the construction of the new tennis courts.
Some students like Kiara Nickl, ’04, sees the current rotary as a dangerous maneuver in a central part of campus.
“I think the rotary is really dangerous, especially because of how narrow it is,” says Nickl. “Buses are constantly going around it and people don’t always stop at the stop signs, so I think the postponement is a poor decision.”
Mary Claire Lonsdale, ’04, also feels the rotary is both dangerous and confusing. “I would imagine it being difficult for someone who didn’t go here to find their way to where they needed to go,” she said. “It would help if they could follow a road leading right to the Campus Center because it’s so central. This project is definitely one that should be addressed.”
“The boulevard is still planned,” said Taylor. “The Vice Presidents have commited that the boulevard be completed next summer.”
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