5 feet of gravel is set to be poured into Mirror Lake as an interim sustainability measure.
Credit: Chelsea Spears / Multimedia editor
One of the first steps was taken to transform Mirror Lake this week.
Gravel was poured into Mirror Lake Tuesday to reduce the depth of its deep end to 5 feet as part of an interim measure toward making the lake more sustainable.
“The work currently being done on the lake is simply the start to our interim measure to address sustainability,” OSU spokesman Gary Lewis said in an email Tuesday.
The lake was drained in November to allow for work on a sustainability study that aims to prevent water loss because of leaks in the lake’s structure. The study also plans to address maintenance issues related to deterioration of the lake’s walls as well as determine if groundwater is a viable option to help fill the lake, Lewis said.
Columbus-based development and public works firm EMH&T is conducting the study, which was set to cost $28,520 as reported by a Jan. 9 story by The Lantern.
The funds are set to come from the President and Provost’s Council on Sustainability, which considers funding requests each year for various sustainability projects around campus.
Landscape architecture firm MKSK is working with OSU to help design the updated Mirror Lake.
The firm originally selected by OSU, EDGE Group, a local firm of landscape architects and development consultants founded by former OSU football player and assistant vice president for business advancement Eddie George, backed out of its contract to “avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” former Administration and Planning spokeswoman Lindsay Komlanc said in an email in December.
In March, an open house and visual preference survey were held to provide students, faculty, staff and alumni the opportunity to weigh in on design concepts for Mirror Lake.
Lewis said a final plan had not yet been chosen as of Tuesday afternoon.
“We are in the process of developing a master plan level concept and high level cost estimates to be shared with university leadership based on feedback from the open house and visual preference survey,” Lewis said.
Mirror Lake became a campus fixture 140 years ago after beginning as a small stream.
As part of a long-standing tradition, OSU students jump into Mirror Lake the Tuesday before the annual football game against Michigan.
