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More than 100 people gathered around the outside of the beautifully landscaped observatory to celebrate and dedicate the new building as well as the surrounding athletic facilities.

“We really are at the point where we begin to harvest the wonderful fruit from all the dedicated labor that has gone into these facilities,” said President Gayle D. Beebe. “They have been carefully planted, cultivated and the faithfulness of trustees, administrators, faculty, friends and donors have made this day possible.”

Randy Jones, campus planner, reminisced about starting the Master Plan building process with consultant Carl D. Johnson 16 years ago. “And after many hearings, meetings, revisions and helpful comments from our neighbors, the plan was approved in 2007,” Jones said. “Despite the wind, the rain and some fire, we can celebrate not only these new facilities we’re dedicating today, but also what this project means to the entire Master Plan.”

Jones described the benefits of the new perimeter road, underground utilities, Central Plant, pervious concrete parking lots, native vegetation, pedestrian bridge and walkways. “We can celebrate the fact that this is really the first step in a bigger plan,” Jones said. “The foundations have been laid for a completed Master Plan to serve faculty and students in the future.”

Despite the numerous challenges to find a suitable location on campus for the new observatory, Ken Radtkey, Blackbird Architects principal, said the building landed in a very special place. “The observatory actually winds up functioning as a day and night observatory,” Radtkey said. “We have been so pleased by the way the observation deck is used not just for the stars and heavens at night, but for baseball games and track events and other things to observe your friends and colleagues on a day-to-day basis.”

Radtkey says the design team understood ���ϰٿ�’s liberal arts philosophy and wanted to bring art, science and athletics together into the design of the observatory. “The inspiration for the project really comes from the work of trying to understand and be focused on the heavens,” he said.

Russell Smelley, head track and field coach, joked about another use of the observation deck. “Our students are practical, I found out by accident when I took a recruit up here that this is our sunbathing place,” Smelley said.

Smelley thanked Beebe and the trustees, saying it was courageous for them to complete the existing construction during difficult economic times and following the withdrawal of a $75 million pledge. “I’ve had to give up the keys to the tractor which I have enjoyed driving for 30 years, dragging the crushed brick and clay,” Smelley said. “But in my 33 years of college coaching, I’ve not seen a finer facility in the United States of America for competing student athletes. It is a fantastic facility.”