On the way to Huntington Gym, students may notice several gravel mounds, two Bobcats and usually, no more than a handful of men digging a large trench just a bit longer than a regulation basketball court. Last year, maintenance staff became aware of a leak in the steam condensate pipe between the heating plant, which is adjacent to Huntington, and upper campus. According to the maintenance staff, most of the heat on campus comes from the plant and is sent up the hill in steam form. Once the steam is fully utilized to heat buildings and other facilities the condensate descends back down the hill through the steam condensate pipe.

“Normally, this work is done during the summer months, but the manufacturer of the steam condensate pipe only just delivered the actual parts,” one construction worker said.

Once the new pipe is installed, all of Colgate will be ready to endure another bitter winter from within the warm walls of upper campus.