University Donates Funds To Borough For Town Plaza

Candace Braun

Princeton University has donated $150,000 to the Plaza Functional Art Committee of the Borough for the new plaza that is being planned near the new Princeton Public Library. Whether the money should be used to enhance the quality of the plaza or to help alleviate the Borough's debt was a matter of debate at the Council's meeting on Tuesday, March 2.

The Plaza Art Committee, headed by Councilwoman Wendy Benchley, requested that the University's donation be used to "purchase better quality chairs, tables, benches, planters, bicycle racks...and unique tree grates." A bus shelter and more attractive fence to cover the PSE&G fence that is now visible outside the library may also now be purchased. These two items did not fall within the committee's original $102,200 budget.

Tree grates designed to look like the "carbon atom" were also suggested as a tribute to Albert Einstein. These would cost the Borough $45,000, which would exceed the cost of generic tree grates by 25 percent.

Councilman David Goldfarb objected to making a hasty decision about how the money will be used, since items such as the decorative tree grates were not anticipated in the original budget.

"The issue is where we should go beyond design into art," he said.

Council President Mildred Trotman agreed: "If indeed that money is the only pot of money we are getting from the University this year, I don't want to be hasty about how we spend it."

Pam Hersh, director of the Office of Community and State Affairs for the University, said the money donated to the Borough was intended to "make sure [the plaza] was similar in quality to all the projects that are done in town."

Due to the looming 2004 operating budget for the Borough, which has not yet been presented to Council, Council members agreed to hold off on making a decision about the money donated from the University until they see a more complete budget outline from the committee.