By: Sean Rhomberg
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Two pieces of the University of Arkansas’ landscape have now reopened to the public after being under construction since 2019.
Facilities Management at the U of A announced October 26th that construction had completed on Old Main’s front entrance and the first 50 years of Senior Walk.
The concrete, which contained the original names etched into the sidewalk, was replaced and the bricks that made up Old Main Plaza were replaced with sandstone to emulate the look of Old Main’s steps.
Some selections of the previous Senior Walk years were removed and preserved so that they can one day be displayed in an exhibit that will reside in Old Main.
The new sections of concrete still show the names of those who first graduated from the U of A. Part of the renovation included sandblasting the old names according to how they were in the old concrete.
With the area now open, one group looking to utilize it are the student ambassadors at the U of A. They bring prospective students and their families on tours of the Arkansas campus and its iconic structures.
Ambassador Raquel Romero said a large focus of campus tours was taking families through Old Main and around the first years of Senior Walk that reside directly in front of the entrance.
She said ambassadors were able to take advantage of the area as soon as it was unveiled.
“I know a lot of ambassadors have been taking their families over there and they love it,” Romero said. “They think it’s really cool.”
The University said that the new area will be honored and dedicated as part of the sesquicentennial celebration next year.
“The area has monumental meaning,” Romero said. “It seems like families are really enjoying that part of campus.”