UND Facilities crews remove sod around the Soaring Eagle statue in preparation for the garden (April 2001). In April 2001, Facilities gives us access to bricks from Old Science Hall, a recently razed structure with a long history on our campus. The bricks will provide an edge for the bed.
UND Facilities crews remove sod around the Soaring Eagle statue in preparation for the garden (April 2001). In April 2001, Facilities gives us access to bricks from Old Science Hall, a recently razed structure with a long history on our campus. The bricks will provide an edge for the bed.
Relationships with Facilities
Relationships with UND Operations/Facilities were key. After all, these folks were responsible for University grounds. If we achieved what we hoped, they would take some credit; if we didn't, they would take the heat. Our goal was the former.

I remember that first day Kathleen Brokke and I met with Paul Clark, Associate Director of Facilities, to describe our vision for prairie in the middle of campus which would be initiated and maintained by volunteers. Not knowing Paul, I was sure he was probably wondering who we were and what we were up to. I would! I remember telling him "We want you to be happy." We heard Facilities concerns and integrated them one by one into actions and design. And a wonderful relationship began.

While Soaring Eagle Prairie is largely the work of volunteers, our friends in Operations/Facilities (Bob Gallager, Paul Clark, Dale Kadelbach and staff) supported essential background details such as: sod removal, access to tools/sand/water, alteration in snow removal patterns, installation of pedestal and brick pad, preparation for events. In summer 2004, we even planned our plantings so that we could use irrigation systems simultaneously.

Facilties secures installation of the beautiful circular brick pad at the site of the pedestals describing the statue and the garden. This pad was installed at the end of the first summer (2001). The plants had been in the ground only a few short months. We could hardly imagine how the garden would grow. With first snow, we discovered the garden fell within snow removal patterns. Yikes! Facilities crews installed stakes to show boundaries. Note sign designed by Facilties at our request.
Facilities secures installation of the beautiful circular brick pad at the site of the pedestals describing the statue and the garden. This pad was installed at the end of the first summer (2001). The plants had been in the ground only a few short months. We could hardly imagine how the garden would grow. With first snow, we discovered the garden fell within snow removal patterns. Yikes! Facilities crews installed stakes to show boundaries. Note sign designed by Facilities at our request.