Spring Break
Column: URI Facilities on slippery slope
Andrew Brennan
Issue date: 1/28/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion
01/28/09 - Although the forecast for today's winter storm might have changed since I sat down to write this-for all I know as you read this it could be snowing, snow showers, freezing rain or nothing at all. But there is one thing I know for certain: FACILITIESWHOSIWHATSIT is going to do a bang up job dealing with the aftermath.
Since returning to school, the daily trek to class has been a challenge of sorts-an adventure, really.
At first it was all a matter of trailblazing. Apparently fresh out of snow shovels-perhaps all sold in an effort to help balance the budget-FACILITIESWHOSIWHATSIT decided that any area that couldn't be cleared off by anything lacking four wheels and a cup holder should remain covered in snow.
The sidewalk on Butterfield Road is fine until it stops abruptly upon reaching a pole in the middle of the path. A pole! And this pole isn't even particularly menacing, as far as poles go. One pole and the cleared path stops, and from there to the corner in front of Health Services is untouched, forcing pedestrians to walk in the road (and let's be honest, who doesn't love a little early morning tango with traffic before plant studies, am I right?) I can only imagine what went through the head of whoever faced this insurmountable obstacle: "Well I can't climb over it, and I can't dig under it ... this is clearly impossible."
This same person must have been similarly flummoxed upon encountering stairs, as those not located directly in front of a doorway got the same treatment. I imagine that even those shoveled out were done merely in an effort to keep the doors from being frozen shut, and once you do the top step you might as well do the rest just to make it look neat.
Walking up the hill that is our campus, I discovered the sidewalk from Ranger Road to the back of Swan Hall did not appear to have been cleared out by snow blower, plow, tractor or any other motorized device. Instead it seemed the job had been carried out with a spoon, perhaps one sequestered from Dining Services. The path was about five inches wide and had the effect of causing everyone going in the direction of Swan Hall to walk single file, and very slowly. Traffic slowed immensely whenever ice was encountered, which happened about every foot or so.
The ice. The ice is a direct result of not bothering to adequately clear off the snow before it half-melted and refroze. It's the main reason why going to class this semester is just so damn exciting. Thanks to the ice, I haven't needed a single cup of coffee to get my day started. Instead I get to play a game of "don't trip and break your face" on the way to class. It's really livened up my mornings, and I've only lost twice.
I also know that no matter what the weather is like today, it can only add to the excitement: If it snows, then it's a dangerous guessing game of "which path is snow-covered ice?" If it rains, then hooray! More ice!
Do we not have room in the budget for salt to melt this stuff? Why don't you give back the spoon you took and take some salt shakers instead?
Since returning to school, the daily trek to class has been a challenge of sorts-an adventure, really.
At first it was all a matter of trailblazing. Apparently fresh out of snow shovels-perhaps all sold in an effort to help balance the budget-FACILITIESWHOSIWHATSIT decided that any area that couldn't be cleared off by anything lacking four wheels and a cup holder should remain covered in snow.
The sidewalk on Butterfield Road is fine until it stops abruptly upon reaching a pole in the middle of the path. A pole! And this pole isn't even particularly menacing, as far as poles go. One pole and the cleared path stops, and from there to the corner in front of Health Services is untouched, forcing pedestrians to walk in the road (and let's be honest, who doesn't love a little early morning tango with traffic before plant studies, am I right?) I can only imagine what went through the head of whoever faced this insurmountable obstacle: "Well I can't climb over it, and I can't dig under it ... this is clearly impossible."
This same person must have been similarly flummoxed upon encountering stairs, as those not located directly in front of a doorway got the same treatment. I imagine that even those shoveled out were done merely in an effort to keep the doors from being frozen shut, and once you do the top step you might as well do the rest just to make it look neat.
Walking up the hill that is our campus, I discovered the sidewalk from Ranger Road to the back of Swan Hall did not appear to have been cleared out by snow blower, plow, tractor or any other motorized device. Instead it seemed the job had been carried out with a spoon, perhaps one sequestered from Dining Services. The path was about five inches wide and had the effect of causing everyone going in the direction of Swan Hall to walk single file, and very slowly. Traffic slowed immensely whenever ice was encountered, which happened about every foot or so.
The ice. The ice is a direct result of not bothering to adequately clear off the snow before it half-melted and refroze. It's the main reason why going to class this semester is just so damn exciting. Thanks to the ice, I haven't needed a single cup of coffee to get my day started. Instead I get to play a game of "don't trip and break your face" on the way to class. It's really livened up my mornings, and I've only lost twice.
I also know that no matter what the weather is like today, it can only add to the excitement: If it snows, then it's a dangerous guessing game of "which path is snow-covered ice?" If it rains, then hooray! More ice!
Do we not have room in the budget for salt to melt this stuff? Why don't you give back the spoon you took and take some salt shakers instead?
