Tiger Patio renovations near completion

By Riley Segal

Staff Writer

Photo by Hana Tyszka

The Tiger Patio will be ready for use by January 4 after undergoing a $166,575 renovation. The dirt patch located in the middle of the campus was given an eco-friendly upgrade with the addition of decomposed granite, new concrete benches, seven new trees, and most notably, artificial turf after two years of planning. The administration is considering adding more decomposed granite to certain areas.

The Tiger Patio was originally planned to be finished this week, but the tables and sitting rocks were not delivered on schedule, and the concrete benches are still being assembled. Once all the components arrive, the fences surrounding the Tiger Patio will be taken down. Students will not be allowed onto the Patio until all of the seating areas have been placed, as the turf will quickly be ruined if tables are moved onto it.

“We want to ensure that students know what the Tiger Patio should look like before we allow them to sit, as we want to make sure that tables are kept off of the artificial grass,” Commissioner of Internal Affairs Kristen Kafkaloff said.

The improvements, such as the use of artificial turf, are also part of the effort to reduce water consumption as a part of the water crisis solution. Proper drip irrigation has also been installed for the trees, which run on Smart Timers to ensure that only the necessary amount of water is being used.

“The proper aesthetics of a school campus increases student engagement, and therefore student learning. When students take pride in their school, it has a cascading effect to many other aspects of the school culture,” Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Dave Lubs said. “I’m very excited to see how the students utilize the space.”