Public input session set for Valley Dining Center

Location of the new Valley Dining Center, across from the Goldsworth Valley Pond walking bridge. Artist's rendering by design firm SmithGroup JJR

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The second in a series of three public input sessions for Western Michigan University's new Valley Dining Center will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, on campus in the President's Dining Room of the Bernhard Center.

The event is an opportunity to be updated on the project's progress and to make comments about key aspects of the dining experience to be offered. Representatives from the design firms SmithGroup JJR and Bakergroup will be participating.

Valley Dining Center

The Valley Dining Center is a state-of-the-art, 1,000-seat dining facility that will offer exciting and innovative food service options to the University's Valley Residential Neighborhood. It will be situated along the Ring Road south of Stinson Hall and almost directly across from the Goldsworth Valley Pond walking bridge.

Construction is expected to begin in spring 2015, in time for a fall 2016 opening. Planning and design issues related to the project were discussed in an initial input session Feb. 25. The third such session is planned for September, when final design plans will be presented.

Parking considerations

Due to construction around the Bernhard Center, those planning to attend the June 3 input session should consider parking on the west side of the Bernhard Center in Parking Lot No. 69, behind Sangren Hall in Parking Lot No. 41, or just east of the Bernhard Center and Ellsworth Hall in Parking Structure No. 1.

For more information about campus housing and dining updates, visit wmich.edu/students/planning. For directions to campus or a WMU parking map, visit wmich.edu/maps/printables.php.