Construction crews are making the finishing touches on the Ray Promenade, a beautiful walkway and gathering space located behind Collier-Scripps Hall. It adds green space to the heart of campus and gives students outdoor seating areas for use during warm, sunny days.
The Ray Promenade replaces 27th Street on the east edge of Collier-Scripps Hall. The street formerly ran directly through campus but is now a lovely green space that will beautify campus by adding more trees, green grass, flower beds, and a shaded table area. It will serve as an outdoor classroom, performance venue, meeting location, picnic destination, and more.
Work began on the promenade last summer and continued throughout the school year. It will be completed before the end of the 2018 fall semester.
The promenade is named after former Iowa Governor and Drake President Robert D. Ray and his wife Billie. It is located directly east of Collier-Scripps Hall, which is home to The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center. The Center pursues character-building and ethics initiatives that honor the Rays’ legacy.