A small part of the Colgate University campus underwent a transformation during the peak of Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 20. For a few hours, the small driveway off of Oak Drive between Kendrick Avenue and College Street that takes drivers towards Upper Campus traded its usual vehicle access for something new: a space where students, faculty and alumni could come together to eat among the oak trees and away from vehicle traffic.
The Sept. 20 pilot event marked the beginning of a new campus initiative called Oak Walk Weekends that will officially close Oak Drive on select weekends throughout the Fall 2025 semester, creating a shared space for students, faculty and alumni to connect away from typical campus traffic areas.
Campus Safety launched the program in a Sept. 12 email to the Colgate community.
“This fall, Oak Drive will be closed on select weekends for Colgate community members to gather and enjoy,” the email read.
With Homecoming Weekend drawing crowds and bringing special events across campus, the Sept. 20 iteration created an additional focal point for the heightened sense of community.
The event’s centerpiece was three food trucks set up along the normally vehicle-dominated stretch. Organizers provided meals for the first 200 attendees. The temporary closure during one of the university’s busiest alumni weekends served as a test run for reimagining how underused campus spaces can foster community engagement.
Junior Lily Gamburg expressed her appreciation for the event.
“It was cool to see the space transformed from somewhere you just passed through to a place to enjoy the end of summer among friends,” Gamburg said.
Senior Ashley Hendrata agreed.
“I loved getting to eat before hanging out with my alumni friends. It was convenient that it was on the way,” Hendrata said.
The Oak Drive location, situated between Taylor Lake and campus green space, accommodated attendees on benches throughout the afternoon event.
Organizers scheduled the closure to coincide with favorable September weather and Homecoming Weekend’s peak activity, when alumni visits typically increase foot traffic across campus.
The flexible timeframe of the event also allowed participants to attend between other weekend events, including the football game and various alumni social gatherings.
The concept of temporarily reclaiming streets for community use isn’t a new idea, as students have seen food trucks provided during times when the dining hall is occupied and unavailable.
However, the placement and application during Homecoming Weekend represented a unique way to facilitate connections between generations.
The University has not announced dates for more Oak Dr. Weekends, though officials indicated weather conditions and community response will factor into scheduling decisions. In a Sept. 12 email announcement, Campus Safety solicited attendee opinions to inform future Oak Drive closures.
“Weather and your desire to participate will help to determine future dates for Oak Walk Weekends in October, so we hope you come out and let us know what you think,” it read.
Saturday’s event drew steady attendance throughout the afternoon, suggesting potential support for expanding the program.
