The cactus garden and bike paths could be moved to make way for Alumni Plaza

Map of the future Alumni Plaza.

A campus park designed to educate the community about the UA's history will dramatically change the landscape around the Mall.

Alumni Plaza - which is expected to be completed in May 2003 - will include more shade and seating to create a comfortable place for students, faculty and alumni to enjoy, said Sandy Ruhl, Alumni Association president.

Although no specific plans for the plaza have been defined, Ruhl said it would include trees and a stage where performances could take place.

"We want the Alumni Plaza to be a living place on campus," Ruhl said.

Alumni Plaza will cost $2.7 million and will be located in front of the Administration building, expanding out into the Mall area.

The Alumni Association raised funding for the Alumni Plaza through private donors.

Hargreaves Associates - which ha worked on other university design projects - has been selected to design the Alumni Plaza.

"One thing that the University of Arizona lacks is a comfortable open space for students to hang out," said Mary Margaret Jones, president and principal of Hargreaves Associates.

Ruhl said Alumni Plaza is one of three heritage projects planned to educate the campus community about the university. The other two projects are a heritage hall and heritage trail.

"We want this to be a special place for people to think about the history of the university," Ruhl said.

Preliminary plans for Alumni Plaza include possibly moving the cactus garden to another location if necessary.

"We are willing to either enhance or relocate the cactus garden," said Jay Rochlin, associate director of the Alumni Association.

The cactus garden was originally located near Old Main before being relocated in front of the Administration building, Rochlin said.

Bike racks are also part of the plan for the plaza, said Mark Novak, landscape architect for Campus Facilities and Planning.

"We want to maintain a high number of bike parking facilities," Novak said.

Rochlin said students and faculty will be able to give their feedback on the plaza's design at a meeting where initial plans will be unveiled.

The meeting will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 in rooms 301 to 303 in the Marvin D. "Swede" Johnson building.