Construction near Bio Pond worries students

As plans for a new life sciences building unfold, environmentalists are struggling to protect the last of Penn's outdoor landmarks -- the Bio Pond. The Environmental Club has raised concerns over possible problems that the Bio Pond and surrounding garden might face as a result of the construction at 38th Street and University Avenue. The University is planning to build a new life sciences building adjacent to the Bio Pond and garden. The new facility will form the front-piece of the "life sciences quadrangle," which will include the Bio Pond and the Veterinary and Medical Schools. "The Bio Pond is one of my favorite places on campus," said Environmental Club Chair and College sophomore Emily Quesada. "It's peaceful and quiet there, and I would like to see it preserved." The pond was drained this summer for basic maintenance and has not yet been refilled. Students are worried that the new building will overlap into the Bio Pond and disrupt the area. The building -- to be constructed in two phases -- will house the Biology and Psychology departments, as well as provide space for genomics and cognitive neuroscience research. Members of the committee responsible for building the new facility are aware of possible problems associated with the construction, but say that the Bio Pond won't be affected long-term. "The pond itself won't be affected," Biology Department Chair Andrew Binns said. "There will be some construction related disruptions near the garden, but the disruption should be repairable and only temporary." However, officials do recognize that the construction of such a large building could cause part of the garden adjacent to the Bio Pond to be in the shade. According to Binns, "a series of studies were conducted. The big trees will not be affected because they are tall enough, but parts of the garden will become shadier. However, it will still be good garden space." Some Environmental Club members said they were troubled by such shading problems since the garden thrives on sunlight, and some parts might be destroyed if they are left in the dark. In the last few weeks, students began circulating a petition to save the Bio Pond. They stopped the petition once they decided that the garden, not the pond, was in danger. "The issue here is about disrupting the ecological surroundings," College sophomore Linda Wan, author of the petition, said. "We are very concerned that the construction could be bad for the gardens." Wan met with David Balamuth, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, to discuss possible ways to protect the garden. "We are just making sure that they are not going to damage it further because originally the Bio Pond [area] was five acres in size and now it is down to two," said Wan, the Environmental Club treasurer. "We understand the University's plans, and they understand our concerns and intentions." The University has received a donation strictly for the purpose of restoring and renovating the pond and surrounding garden. "The pond is over 100 years old and was full of leaves and junk so they cleaned it out and are rebuilding it," Binns noted. "A lot of people come to visit the pond, especially from HUP, and it will be beautiful when it is done." Balamuth maintains that the pond has been, and will remain, a concern for Penn. "The pond is undergoing a substantial renovation and that is evidence of the school's continuing commitment to the pond. It will continue to be a concern in the upcoming construction process," Balamuth said. Students said that the preservation of such a natural habitat is of great importance. Quesada noted, "I am looking at this in a long-term light -- we are trying to preserve the BioPond -- so it is something we will continue talking about."