This week started out with peculiar weather. On Monday, we had cold winds, rain, sleet, and snow. Gradually the weather has become more spring like. Today, the campus is a riot of color, with purple lilacs, pink magnolia blossoms, magenta flowers on the crab apples, bright green grass, and some lovely tulips and daffodils that have kept blooming through the cold snap.

Students are soaking up the sun, playing Frisbee or lying on the grass reading. I have noticed that faculty and staff also seem to be finding many reasons to be outside. The grounds crew has added new rose bushes and other flowers to create an even lovelier campus.

Many people have come outside to take advantage of a wonderful tradition: the Bradley Pottery Club’s Pottery Sale and Ice Cream Extravaganza. For $5, people can select a handmade bowl and fill it with ice cream. Although the ice cream sale ends today, the pottery sale continues through tomorrow. The range of work offered is impressive. Students are selling the beautiful bowls, pots, cups, and vases they have made over the semester. Each semester, people look forward to this sale, where they can purchase a one-of-a kind piece of art for a reasonable price.

The demolition of the Field House continues to provide some fascinating images. I like this one as it shows the unique structure. The red crane in the background is helping with the construction of the new parking deck.

We’ve all known this day was coming, but to actually feel the earth shaking from the demolition equipment and see the dust floating up to the sky means it’s finally here. Demolition of the Field House began today. I have always known what a unique venue the Field House was. Constructed from two World War II-era airplane hangers, it had a distinct roof line and even more distinct acoustics. Many a visiting team has left the Field House with their ears ringing from the roar of the enthusiastic Bradley fans.

As people became aware that it would be torn down this spring, I learned how intensely the entire Peoria community and alums from all over the country feel about this place. Many people wrote in to provide reminiscences for special sections in Hilltopics and the Peoria Journal Star. Clearly, the Field House has provided lasting memories for generations of students and people in central Illinois.

As we say goodbye, we look forward to the construction of two wonderful new facilities to take its place—the Athletic Performance Center and the Men’s Basketball Practice Facility. The APC will provide a site for concerts, convocations, and women’s basketball and volleyball games. The Practice Facility will bring a new era for men’s basketball. This dedicated center will provide the team with all the resources it needs to continue to succeed and recruit great players.

Through cold, sleet, and snow, construction workers have stayed on the site for the Markin Family Student Recreation Center. As a result of their determination, the center is rapidly taking shape and every day I can see progress! In the first photograph, you can see the running and walking track, which is on the second level. It will look down over gymnasium courts.

The building is entirely framed in steel now and pre-cast concrete panels are arriving every day and are quickly put into place to enclose the building. At this pace, I don’t think it will take too long for the entire building to be enclosed, and then the interior work can begin.

I am looking forward to fall and having the students arrive on campus with this wonderful new facility ready for action! Students will be able to come here to swim, work out, shoot hoops, play racquetball, scale the climbing wall, and socialize with their friends. The Markin Center is sure to be a new center of student activity.

The long winter will surely be over soon now that the students are back on campus and spring semester is under way. Everyone is bundled up as they hurry to their first classes today - temperatures remain quite frigid. I’m sure many students and professors were able to travel to warmer places during the winter break, but as they came back this week, they found the campus covered in a lovely, gently drifted snowfall. As you can see, it created some beautiful scenes and even wrapped me in a white mantle.

Best wishes to the students for a great, rewarding semester. And check back. I hope to be reporting on signs of spring soon!