The Middlebury Campus

Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Ngeow Current planning examines how best to utilize the Eat Good Food space. [Click to enlarge]

The identity of the social space formerly belonging to Eat Good Food (EGF) is starting to gather definition as planning continues into the fall semester. This past summer, Dean of the College Tim Spears and a committee of students who were on campus at the time began brainstorming when the lease was first signed.

"Weekend programming will offer live entertainment and a place where people can meet for drinks and light fare," wrote committee member Micah Gurard-Levin '07.5 in an email. "This space isn't going to be the new Angela's. I want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that encourages responsible socializing, not binge drinking and drunken walks home from the bar. I'd love to see students and townspeople meeting with friends or family for drinks while listening to live jazz - maybe even dress up a bit and be somewhat formal."

Since the summer, the planning process has broadened to include the opinions and ideas of different interest groups in order to tailor the space to satisfy as many people as possible.

"In our first few meetings in the fall, we quickly determined that it would be beneficial to invite members of the faculty and staff to be part of the planning process, as well as representatives from town who are unaffiliated with the College," wrote Gurard-Levin, "in order to develop a space that serves all of the interests involved and can be used by both the College community and the town as a whole."

Student groups that may have a stake in what happens to the EGF space have also gotten involved, including WRMC 91.1 FM, Dolci and the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB.) These groups were invited to investigate the viability of bringing their respective activities off campus .

"Tim sent us an e-mail inviting us to a meeting to talk about the possibility of bringing Dolci to the space," said Beth Connolly '10, one of the managers of Dolci. "So we went to see the space with a bunch of other students who wanted to turn it into an art gallery, a fundraising space, things like that."

Continued...

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