There are a couple of cozy new gathering spots at the LSC, and we’re not talking quiet corners with cushy couches.

Two gas firepits have been installed outside on the west patio near the Sutherland Community Garden, tucked under golden shade sails and surrounded by patio tables and chairs. The firepits, each about four feet long and a couple of feet wide, can be used by students, faculty and staff to warm up a meeting with friends or co-workers, or just to provide added ambiance to a midday lunch or coffee break.

The firepits were turned on early in December, and will be operating intermittently on weekdays, during special events and by individual request.

“We’ll also turn on the firepits when it seems appropriate based on the weather, even if there isn’t a request,” said Jason Rogien, director of Event Services at the LSC. “Since the firepits burn natural gas, we want to be careful about not wasting gas if there isn’t anyone present.”

How the project ignited

According to Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and LSC Executive Director Mike Ellis, the idea for firepits started to flicker during planning for the 2014 Phase 2 renovation project, with suggestions emerging a little more than a decade ago. Construction began in mid-October of this year and was funded entirely by generous alumni, current staff and other friends of the university, with the Sutherland family spearheading the project and leading in donations.

Jean Sutherland, the late wife of Thomas Sutherland, a CSU professor taken hostage by the Islamic Jihad in 1985 and held for more than six years in Beirut, Lebanon, has been a passionate supporter of the university, and focused her efforts later in life in giving back to the community she and her husband so dearly loved. University Advancement kept in touch with Jean over the years as plans for the project, including evolving designs, progressed.

“The enhancement project for Sutherland Community Garden was an important priority for Jean before her passing,” Associate Director of Development Brittany Habben said. “She worked tirelessly with Morgan Library’s archives department to digitize and preserve items for the Thomas Sutherland Collection first, and then set her sights on the garden. This final gift to CSU and the Lory Student Center will provide both shade and warmth to the students utilizing the space to build community with each other, and we remain grateful to her and her family for helping make this possible.”

Other fireplaces

The LSC also has gas fireplaces inside at its Legacy and Friendship lounges, and these spaces fill each day with students relaxing or studying, with campus visitors, or with colleagues taking advantage of a comfortable place to chat outside of the office.

“Fireplaces have long been a feature of college unions, symbolic for a communal place for gathering,” Ellis said. “And in Colorado, this desire extends to the outside environment, for which we knew there’s no better place than the Sutherland Community Garden.”

The firepits will be available for use from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day, according to building hours. Students and staff can request that the firepits be turned on while they’re on the premises by texting or calling LSC building managers at (970) 215-7112.