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A spirit that is not afraid

Auburn's 'beaches' provide outdoor leisure for students

At left, Kevin Carrol, a sophomore in building science, and Trey Stephens, a sophomore in accounting, enjoy a spring day by throwing around a football at the fields off Donahue Drive.
At left, Kevin Carrol, a sophomore in building science, and Trey Stephens, a sophomore in accounting, enjoy a spring day by throwing around a football at the fields off Donahue Drive.

Footballs flying through the air. Dogs catching frisbees. Friends sitting around hanging out. Students are taking advantage of the spring weather and open fields by the Auburn University Medical Clinic.

"We've always had some (students) there," said Assistant Vice President of Auxiliary Services Bob Ritenbaugh. "I think now we have almost more than we've had before enjoying the weather. It's always been used sporadically, primarily by students just as a green space."

Will Noel and Rebekah Weaver both like to take their dogs to the fields, also known as 'the beaches,' to toss the tennis ball around.

"We have two dogs, so we like to go out there and let them run around," said Noel, a sophomore in science and mathematics. "Some times it doesn't work out going to the intramural fields, because there are a lot of people out there."

Weaver, a sophomore in early childhood education, said she thinks students like to hang out at the fields because they are so open.

"It's just a nice open field, especially in the spring time when all the flowers bloom," Weaver said. "It's just pretty."

Katlin Baugh said while she does not hang out at the fields often, a lot of her friends do, trying to escape the craziness on campus.

"My friends that live in the dorms like to go," Baugh said.

Ritenbaugh said it also appeals to students living in apartments that don't have a lot of outside space.

"A lot of apartments are quite small and have parking lots around their apartments," Ritenbaugh said.

Weaver said she thinks students like to go there because it is convenient.

"It's not really on campus," Weaver said. "You don't have to drive too far out there. You can kind of go and relax."

Sarah Molony, a junior in biomedical sciences, said she goes to the fields a lot to hang out with friends.

Molony, who is also on the Parking and Traffic Committee, said she does not think the fields are in danger of being turned into a parking lot because of all of the RVs that tailgate there during football season.

Ritenbaugh said while the idea of converting the fields to a parking lot has been broadly discussed by previous administrations, he doesn't think it is likely to happen.

"There's a lot of cost involved because it would have to be leveled," Ritenbaugh said. "The other thing is there has been some reluctance from people. You hate to do away with a lot of green space. On the flip side we obviously have a parking requirement need."

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