A giant peace sign has been installed at St. Clair College.
The peace parkette, which was installed on Wednesday, is at the South Windsor campus and will include seating, cement sidewalks, grass, trees and other landscaping features.
The 20 foot high peace statue is the last Campus beautification project.
The area is located just past the sportsplex, and the school's landscaping program will maintain the site.
Incoming college president Michael Silvaggi says they want St. Clair College to be a destination, and upgrades and changes to the campus can improve how outsiders view the institution.
He says if students come to a campus that looks loved, they believe it will create an affinity towards the school.
"It's a peace sign, certainly we want St. Clair to be recognized as a safe space. St. Clair welcomes everyone, and we want students and staff that do come here to have a place that they do feel safe. And the peace sign just resonates there and reflects that,"Â Silvaggi said.
He says as an outdoor space it's a opportunity for students to explore while staying on campus.
"It's a space for students to sit, have conversation, have lunch. It's nothing out of the ordinary in terms of planned programming, of course the Student Athletic Association with it being nearby the sportsplex here will have opportunities to leverage it. But for the most part it is a green space that we've transformed to reflect the safe space, and provide a gathering space for our students and staff."
Silvaggi says the idea had been discussed over the last year or so.
"It's been talked about on and off over the past year and so fourth. Certainly we have a grand facilities plan, and with some green space that was right in the middle of our campus which was an opportunity to do something," he said.
The cost of the entire project is $800,000, which comes from the college's campus beautification budget.
- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi
(Photo taken by AM800's Rob Hindi)