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WIU Union Remains At Risk for Flooding

Emily Boyer

Western's recently renovated University Union is still being inundated with water whenever it rains and repairs might not be made until next year.

The flooding happens because the newly constructed patio on the building's north side slopes towards the Union and routes rain water toward the building instead of away from it.

Currently, sandbags are protecting the north entrance of the Union and Lamoine Room from rain water. Western Illinois University also has maintenance crews out at the Union when it rains to mop up the area.

Julie DeWees, Vice President for Administrative Services, said the university might take a similar approach during the winter months. DeWees said despite the concrete patio being equipped with a snow melt system, crews may need to shovel the snow.

“But, the way it is now, it would just melt,” DeWees said. “We may not be able to let it melt and let it run. We may just have to scoop it.”

DeWees said the university is still in talks with the project’s construction firm, Leander Construction and the architecture firm, FGM Architectsabout what can be done to fix the patio.

She said she hopes for a resolution soon, but it’s unlikely work will be done on the patio this late into the year.

“If it’s going to be a major tear out we may have to wait until next spring to take care of that,” DeWees said. “We don’t want to disrupt the students very much. Or it may be in the summer. But we will get it fixed and it will be right.”

A major tear out could cost about $150,000.  Western completed about $10 million worth of renovations to the Union over the summer.

Emily Boyer is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.