By KATIE CHRISTENSEN
The old Kent’s market building will temporarily take on a new role this week. Although the location will eventually be used for some other permanent service, it will serve as the Spirit Center during BYU’s Homecoming Parade Saturday from 9:30 am until noon.
The Spirit Center is primarily designed for the on-campus residents but it will also be used to welcome back BYU alumni who lived in Helaman Halls, Heritage Halls, or Deseret Towers, said Todd Fischio, Assistant Director of Housing Services.
The Spirit Center marks a one time event, Fischio said. It will be the central location for the parade where each float or group will be introduced and then judged.
There will also be other activities in the Spirit Center — face painting, balloons, ice cream and a prize wheel, Fischio said.
Ron Jones, Student Leadership Coordinator, said the center will be a fun place for students to gather during the parade to get free food and drinks, sit on the bleachers and watch the groups of students being judged for their parade entries.
The Spirit Center will be part of the main sequence for Homecoming as the headquarters for the parade, Fischio said. The parade will be followed by a tailgate party that will precede the Homecoming football game.
As for the future of the old Kent’s market location, there are several options, Jones said.
“We’ve made a proposal of what we’d like to use the store for,” said David Hunt, Assistant Vice President of Student Life.
“We have presented an idea and it has received some excitement so we are encouraged,” Hunt said.
But Hunt said he is not privileged to make the announcement yet in case the proposal does not go through.
Hunt said the proposed idea is a good prospect that will benefit the students and be a good use for the building. He said if the proposal goes through, it should be functioning sometime in the year 2000.
The store was originally owned by the Carson’s family, then it became Kent’s Market and now it is the property of BYU after it was donated to the University.
