Over the summer months, Park University’s Parkville campus received several updates to some of its more outdated facilities.

The facilities department, formerly known as the environmental services department, worked throughout the summer to add new touches to the campus for the fall semester.

Chestnut Hall, the oldest of the student dormitories still used to house student, received some beautifications.

The front of the building, located near the student parking lots, housed a small quad area with four benches and brick privacy walls around the front door.

Although the previous landscaping design matched the exterior of Chestnut, the new quad, with its white stone benches tiled pavement and fresh landscaping provided by Miller Heritage Landscaping, is an addition to the building.

Another change that affected Chestnut as well as the entirety of the campus was a resurfacing of the parking lots and roads throughout the university.

The lower lot of Chestnut parking, which was formerly graveled, was paved and lined with 94 line spaces.

The new surfaces were also implemented in lower Herr House lot, the road between Mackay Hall and Thompson, and the lot located in front of Mackay Hall.

In addition, the facilities and the campus safety departments teamed up to install several new speed bumps on the 6th Street road leading up to the dormitories in hopes of preventing any speeding and maintaining campus traffic safety.

The entrance to the campus was also restriped to lessen driver confusion at the traffic triangle.

“We want to draw people in,” said Clint Harris, director of facilities on the new and continuous updates to the campus. “Our job is to provide curb appeal for the university.”

As head of the facilities, Harris said he is constantly working and looking for what he can improve to provide Park with a campus as impressive as its legacy.

Several internal renovations also took place within the Academic Underground located underneath the campus grounds.

The McAfee Memorial Library was fully renovated for the first time since its installation.

It was outfitted with all new carpeting, paint, LED lighting, ceiling tiles and furniture, as well as brand new, touchscreen technology that information technology installed.

The new library space also includes the Academic Support Center now, previously located across from the library.

The underground also updated its restrooms located near the Smart Market, which were in need of new toilets, flooring and general amenities for the new school year.

New ventilation, flooring, sinks, and toilets were also installed to keep the bathrooms from repeating the issues it had in the past.

“We listen to the student surveys, they’re important to us,” said Becky Peck, associate vice president for finance and administration and liaison for the facilities department.

One of the biggest updates Park received over the summer term was phase two of wiring a major electrical upgrade for the school.

The new system reduces the chances for power outages and will be expanded upon in the coming year so the campus will have electrical sustainability.