I left the Student Organization Fair delightfully overwhelmed, anticipating a full inbox after giving my e-mail out to clubs I'll never have the time or energy to join. During my undergraduate years, my goal is, in a nutshell, to try everything there is to try. Time may turn out to be an issue, but that is another story. Madison is a place of vast opportunity, primarily because one of the nation's largest universities lies in the heart of the city.
With this abundance of cultural opportunities at our fingertips, it may come as a surprise that the focus of this article is not what Downtown Madison offers, but rather, what it lacks. I write with regard to two staples of a college student's life: food and movies. The home of 40,000 young people lacks both an adequate grocery store and, with the loss of University Square, a major movie theatre.
As the new development replacing University Square rises higher each day, there is much speculation as to who will claim a spot in this prime location. According to the website of Executive Management, the retail manager for the development, the first and second floors of the apartment complex are primarily dedicated to private businesses. There is no evidence of plans for a movie theatre. Although they state that some will be food services, this does not imply that the new University Square will provide a grocery store.
For groceries, many students shop at Capitol Centre Foods, which claims to be downtown Madison's only full service supermarket."" In other words, it is a monopoly, forcing shoppers to pay high prices. Plus, Capital Centre Foods is a significant distance to travel for those students who live in the area surrounding Camp Randall. Granted, Trader Joe's is close by, but is more specialized than some may want.
While there are some economic reasons behind the desire for a major grocery store, the need for these two businesses on campus is primarily an issue of convenience. It is certainly possible to get on a bus and make your way to the grocery stores on University Avenue or to any movie theatre in the surrounding area. Yes, it is possible to take the bus, but there is one catch: you need several hours to spare.
Last week, I decided to be a fully functioning member of society; I took the bus to Copps, rather than waiting for some lucky car owner to escort me.
The ride was relatively efficient, and I bought my groceries with plenty of time to catch the bus back to campus. To my frustration, I waited at the bus stop for nearly an hour.
The time needed to buy groceries or arrive at the movie theater, before even seeing the movie, is unrealistic in the average undergraduate's busy life. The unreliability of Madison's bus system greatly diminishes the ability to get to surrounding supermarkets and movie theatres.
Improving our public transit could theoretically solve this issue, but with the University Square development's empty retail space practically glowing with possibility, it is an optimal time to address the need for a supermarket and movie theatre in Downtown Madison. Our campus is a remarkable place for cultural opportunity, but sometimes, all I really want to do is eat some food and watch a movie. Is that too much to ask?
