The new Saffrin Public Square will greet students when they return to campus for the fall semester and this transformative project in the center of Daemen University will continue to evolve in the coming months and years.
Construction crews started removing the large parking lot between Duns Scotus Hall and the John R. Yurtchuk Student Center (formerly the Wick Center) in late May. They recently finished laying sod to create what is now a traditional college quad with a large green space.
“In the center of the quad, there is a large circle with landscaping,” said President Gary A. Olson. “In May, a beautiful fountain currently being made overseas will be installed there as the main focal point.”
The public square will include a peace garden, symbolizing Daemen’s support of peace and love worldwide. A Ringo Starr ‘Peace and Love’ sculpture, an actual casting of Ringo’s right hand making the peace sign, will be added to the garden later this fall. The Beatles drummer has authorized only a limited number of the sculptures worldwide.
Daemen plans to sponsor a tree challenge during the fall semester, allowing donors to purchase or contribute toward the purchase of mature trees to be planted in the public square.