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Sydney Umstead, Asst. News Editor

Frozen Pipes Impact Canisius

Updated: Feb 13, 2023

By Sydney Umstead, Assistant News Editor


As temperatures in Buffalo hit record lows, the Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library felt the impact. Last Tuesday, due to a water main break on Hughes Avenue, the library was left without running water from the time they opened at 8 a.m. until 2 p.m that day.

Library Director Kristine Kasbohm received information regarding the pipe prior to opening. Kasbohm stated that there had been talk about whether or not they should open without access to facilities such as bathrooms and water fountains.

The decision to open was later made as the staff wanted to make sure their resources were available, and many were already on their way to campus. This is the first time a situation like this has occurred within the library.

“We’ve opened on days where the college is closed for snow days and classes are canceled. We always try if we can safely get staff here to open,” said Kasbohm.

The pipe is not directly related to Canisius College and is in fact a part of the City of Buffalo. This made things tricky as there was no way to know how long the repairs would take. However, the library was able to operate as usual, only with some asking questions about where the nearest bathroom is located.

“We sort of gave a lot of directions, but people seemed fine with it,” said Kasbohm. The Newgate prison gate is a relic for the college, a detail Kasbohm stated she always is concerned about when there are any weather occurrences on campus. When any situation with water happens in the library, staff go around to ensure that none of the books or assets have been affected.

The library was not the only area on campus impacted by the pipe burst. Tim Hortons was unable to open as their connection to the water had been cut off as well.

Canisius College Public Safety Chief Kim Beaty sent out an email early Tuesday morning informing students and faculty about the broken pipe as it may have caused difficulties getting around campus. The hole dug to fix the pipe can still be seen for those traveling behind Old Main.

The initial pipe burst on Sunday also spelled trouble for Canisius’s plumbing system. Facilities crew could be seen with umbrellas as they fixed the pipe that had burst in the entryway of Old Main. However, on Monday, all damage was repaired, with no sign that anything had happened.


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