Students living in the residential communities near Lakeside Dining Hall were unable to eat there Wednesday after multiple sprinkler pipes burst, resulting in the closing of the dining hall as well as the Dunkin’ Donuts and the Lakeside Market that share the building.
Cathy Andreen, UA director of media relations, said Lakeside closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as multiple pipes burst before and after the closing.
“The building will reopen as soon as the broken pipes have been replaced or repaired, ceiling tiles that were damaged have been replaced and the sprinkler system has been reset,” Andreen said in an emailed statement on Wednesday afternoon.
Bama Dining hopes to have the entire Lakeside facility opened by Thursday afternoon, Andreen said.
Fresh Food Company at the Ferguson Center, which typically serves breakfast and lunch only, opened its doors for dinner Wednesday night to serve those who would typically dine at Lakeside. Fresh Food Company served dinner until 8 p.m.
Zachary Pulley, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, said he was pleased with the change of dining options because of location and food.
“Fresh Foods is a little convenient for me because it’s closer to the engineering library,” Pulley said. “I usually come to Fresh Foods for meals over Lakeside, but for dinner, I don’t have a choice.”
Not all the diners were as happy with the change.
“You’re expecting to be able to go to Lakeside, and then you have to come over here,” Zane Parks, a freshman majoring in finance, said. “Lakeside’s a lot more convenient, and it didn’t seem as if the food was as good. Maybe they just weren’t prepared to cook dinner or something.”
Parks also lamented the shorter dinner hours Wednesday night at Fresh Food Company and the absence of Late Night Lakeside when the dining hall reopens from 10 p.m.-1a.m. Monday through Thursday.
“Then there’s no Late Night,” Parks said. “So you sort of have to eat now or go hungry almost.”
According to Bama Dining’s website, Dunkin’ Donuts will reopen at 7 a.m., and Lakeside Market will open at 9 a.m. Thursday morning as regularly scheduled.
