Abuse to Cunninghams Smoke Hut Could Mean its Removal
John Ivey
The Rotunda Issue date: 1/21/09 Section: News
During the course of last semester Longwood has kept smoking huts around campus, which has succeeded in keeping smoking contained but available on campus. Overall the huts have required little maintenance or repair because for the most part students have not been abusing the huts' existence. There have been problems with one hut in particular, however: the Cunninghams smoking hut on Madison Street.
The Cunninghams smoking hut, which was originally placed in front of the residence hall, is actually a wooden gazebo that has been modified into for its current use. Several other huts are housed in gazebos around campus, including one by Curry and Frazer, Cox and Wheeler, and South Ruffner and Tabb. None of the others, however, have faced the same misuses that the Cunninghams hut has faced.
The problems with this hut have gotten so bad that Vice President of Facilities Management & Real Property Richard Bratcher sent a letter to SGA President Caitlin Revene asking for help in getting students to respect and not exploit the hut and the surrounding area. In the letter Bratcher stated that "a number of roof shingles have been knocked out" on multiple occasions. While damage to the roof not only causes the hut to look bad it also allows wind and rain to damage the hut further.
In addition, the letter listed other abuses of the area around the hut including having clothing or drinking cups tossed on top of the hut. Also on several occasions a street sign near the hut has been pulled out of the ground; in fact on one such occasion Bratcher said he saw students using the hut remove the street sign.
In addition Bratcher said he observed "some extremely rude behavior by a few of the students using the hut."
In the letter, Bratcher went on to say that if the abuse of the hut continues the university would most likely not replace it, due in part to the cost to the university. Bratcher feels that the university should not have to continuously repair something because the students are damaging it. If the Cunninghams hut is closed there is another hut very close by, located next to Stubbs that will still be available for student use. To try to help, Revene said she would be sending an e-mail to the residence of Cox, Wheeler and the Cunninghams about the incidences at the hut soon.
The Cunninghams smoking hut, which was originally placed in front of the residence hall, is actually a wooden gazebo that has been modified into for its current use. Several other huts are housed in gazebos around campus, including one by Curry and Frazer, Cox and Wheeler, and South Ruffner and Tabb. None of the others, however, have faced the same misuses that the Cunninghams hut has faced.
The problems with this hut have gotten so bad that Vice President of Facilities Management & Real Property Richard Bratcher sent a letter to SGA President Caitlin Revene asking for help in getting students to respect and not exploit the hut and the surrounding area. In the letter Bratcher stated that "a number of roof shingles have been knocked out" on multiple occasions. While damage to the roof not only causes the hut to look bad it also allows wind and rain to damage the hut further.
In addition, the letter listed other abuses of the area around the hut including having clothing or drinking cups tossed on top of the hut. Also on several occasions a street sign near the hut has been pulled out of the ground; in fact on one such occasion Bratcher said he saw students using the hut remove the street sign.
In addition Bratcher said he observed "some extremely rude behavior by a few of the students using the hut."
In the letter, Bratcher went on to say that if the abuse of the hut continues the university would most likely not replace it, due in part to the cost to the university. Bratcher feels that the university should not have to continuously repair something because the students are damaging it. If the Cunninghams hut is closed there is another hut very close by, located next to Stubbs that will still be available for student use. To try to help, Revene said she would be sending an e-mail to the residence of Cox, Wheeler and the Cunninghams about the incidences at the hut soon.
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