by Rachel Carden | Apr 28, 2011 | News Slider
Have you seen Lake Lipscomb lately? You may remember plans in the fall to turn the space behind the baseball field into a pond — complete with fountain, flowers and walking paths. Well, that big hole – informally referred to as Lake Lipscomb — has been behind the field all semester now. So what is taking so long? The completion of the pond has been slowed by all the heavy rains that make the underground springs below the site constantly filled with water. The ground has to be completely dry for the project to be finished. The plan now is to complete the pond this summer. The idea of for the fountains came about after Lipscomb executives visited many universities around the country and saw that many schools have multiple water features that really enhance their campuses. “The University believed that the corner of Granny White and Shackleford was the perfect place for such a water feature to really enhance that area of the university from an eyesore to a beautiful pond, fountain, wonderful landscaping and a place for all to enjoy,” said Director of Campus Enhancement Tom Wood. Also in the works for this summer is a fountain in Bison Square. It will be unique in that it will also double as a baptistry for Lipscomb students. This idea has been in the works for a while, but the university its took time considering multiple locations for the baptistry. Officials finally decided to put it right in the center of campus. Some of the planting areas will be removed to make way for the new fountain-baptistery combo. Construction...
by Tyler Lallathin | Dec 2, 2010 | News Slider
“Lake Lipscomb,” as some informally call the planned water feature by the baseball field and tennis courts, had too much water for its own good. While developing the retention pond into a lake area, complete with fountain, builders discovered an underground spring. So a plan had to be developed to deal with this excess “live” water source before continuing the development. “Several design changes had to be made,” said Tom Wood, director of campus enhancement. He said that new equipment had to be ordered to handle the spring water so that the lake can be completed. Once the equipment arrives to deal with the unexpected water source, the contractors will be able to continue their construction of the lake. Wood explains that when it’s completed, plans call for the area to include “added landscaping and eventually a variety of seating areas and other potential enhancements for student and community enjoyment.” The cascading fountain planned for the lake will be 36 feet high. The lake will also provide irrigation for all of campus when it is finished, by pumping water from underground into the lake, and then on to irrigate campus. The lake also will serve as a learning opportunity for students to enrich themselves in knowledge of plant species and the biological aspects of the area. Campus enhancement is on track to have the lake finished in January 2011, weather permitting. “There is also some discussion about providing the lake with fish,” said Wood. Lipscomb will continue to grow and improve the look of its campus. The next plan to enhance campus is a fountain and baptistry in Bison...
by Rachel Carden | Oct 4, 2010 | News Slider
Wondering what the construction behind the baseball field is for? Are you hoping it’s more on-campus parking? Well go ahead and let those hopes down, because Lipscomb is transforming the area into a pond with a fountain to enhance the look of the university. “I do a lot of visiting to campuses across the nation, and I noticed that a lot of campuses have water features, and we have a lack of water features on campus. So I told Dr. Lowry that I thought that it would make a great pond,” said Tom Wood, Director of Campus Enhancement. Walkways, picnic tables, an iron fence and landscaping will eventually be added around the pond to create a child-friendly environment open to the surrounding neighborhoods. The fountain will shoot 30 feet in the air, and administration is discussing whether or not to add fish. “It will be a nice gathering area for students and neighbors,” Wood said. “It will be a great enhancement to the university, so I think it’s something that we will be very pleased with.” The area is not officially named yet, but Wood suggests holding a contest and letting students submit name ideas. “Right now I call it Lake Lipscomb, but maybe we should let the students decide,” Wood said. The pond will still meet 100 year flood levels, so Granny White will not be flooded if a heavy rain comes. Phase two of this construction will be adding a combined fountain and baptistry to the middle of Bison Square. Wood is hoping to break ground by next summer. Students have been very vocal about what enhancements...
