News Archives - 2003

Living on the Augsburg College campus in the summer of 2002 gave student Rodrigo Gonzalez "the opportunity to see Augsburg at its best time of year." However, one morning he woke up and saw, what he calls, a "rather sad looking wall" that divides Augsburg from Interstate 94.

"I decided to be proactive and see if something could be done to improve the way it looks, so I got in touch with the Augsburg Buildings and Grounds Department. They referred me to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) who is in charge of maintaining that area." Not only did MNDOT say "yes," but they told Gonzalez that there is a budget for "beautification projects."
After several meetings with MNDOT, they approved a grant to plant ivy along the wall.

Prior to planting day, Gonzalez, Bruce Rowe, Augsburg groundskeeper, Paul Walvatne, with MNDOT, and three student volunteers, met to mark the location of the vines, clean up the area, and remove some brush.

On Wednesday, Sept. 24 several student volunteers and Professor Joe Underhill-Cady, along with Gonzalez, Rowe and Walvatne spent the morning planting, mulching and watering 54 ivy plants along the freeway wall. The plants were placed in an area to cover approximately 500 feet, which stretches from Murphy Park to the tennis courts.

Rowe said it should take about two years for the ivy to get to the point where they will be more visible and begin to cover the wall.