When the administration decided to close Lone Pine Tavern perhaps wisely, from a financial perspective it removed one of the only neutral social spaces on campus. Instead of hardcore partying, Lone Pine's laidback, pub-like atmosphere offered students an evening of assembling a puzzle with friends or enjoying a musical performance. The College now has the responsibility to ensure that Lone Pine's former venue becomes a similar and successful alternative social space.
When polled on how Lone Pine's space should be re-appropriated, around 93 percent of student respondents said they would like the space to become a student-run coffee shop. ("Lone Pine space to be revamped for fall," Aug. 4) However, the administration found that there were too many difficult logistical details with the plan and, according to Collis Governing Board chair Tanaka Mhambi '11, was concerned that the shop would offer too much competition to Collis Cafe.
Now, the Collis Governing Board is looking to turn the space into a lounge area that can be rented out for student performances.
It is disappointing that Lone Pine will not become a coffee shop, as originally planned. Dean of the College Tom Crady has said he hopes to again solicit student input about how the space can be used, but it appears that 93 percent of those previously surveyed will inevitably be disappointed. While a coffee shop may well not be a viable plan for the space, the College should work to ensure that the venue provides a true social alternative.
Although providing a venue for student performances was an important part of Lone Pine, the Collis Governing Board should be cautious about turning the area into just another performance space on campus. Several other venues are already available to be rented out by student performers and others Tindle Lounge and Dartmouth Hall 105, for example but this has not made these spaces a viable escape from the conventional Dartmouth social scene.
Since food or beverage service is no longer an option, the task of creating a new space becomes mostly aesthetic: how do we make a room so attractive that people will go hang out there? More importantly, how can we design a space to fulfill the need that a coffee shop would address, with the limited means available? True, people can bring food from Late Night Collis to the space on weeknights, but Lone Pine offered students a place to socialize over the weekend, too.
The existing room itself has a cozy atmosphere, but more could be done to enhance it and breathe new life into the place. Adding several outlets for laptops could make the space into an attractive study area by day, while still allowing it to be used for socializing or study breaks at night. Keeping the games and puzzles traditionally stored in the room is also a good idea. But the space needs more than a face-lift; it needs something to attract people the addition of some sort of entertainment you really can't get at other places on campus.
