On a gorgeous fall afternoon, the ribbon was officially cut at St. Bonaventure University’s new Fairway View Pavilion.

The restaurant at the St. Bonaventure Golf Course opened in April, but because university trustees hadn’t been able to visit campus for 19 months because of COVID restrictions on campus, the official dedication was delayed until Friday, the first day of their fall Board of Trustees meeting.

University administrators, staff and officials from Aramark, the university’s food service provider, joined trustees for the ribbon cutting by Dr. Joe Zimmer, acting president, and blessing of the building by Fr. Ross Chamberland, O.F.M., university chaplain and associate vice president for Student Affairs.

“It was a pleasure being part of the St. Bonaventure team supporting the planning of dining facility renovations over the past two years, both on campus and at this beautiful Fairway View Pavilion,” said Tom Battersby, director of Strategic Partnerships at Aramark.

“From the outset, SBU’s goal was to provide new expanded services and dramatically enhance the student life experience on campus. The finished products exceed expectations and have already made a positive impact both on campus and to the surrounding community,” Battersby added.

“Dan Hungerford (vice president for Finance and Administration at SBU) and the team he assembled should be commended for the fine work they have accomplished. It has been a true partnership with SBU, one we are extremely proud of and look forward to continuing for years to come.”

The restaurant’s patio overlooks the second fairway, with the campus in the distance, and is protected from the 2nd tee by netting on top of and all around the patio’s pergola. Inside the Pavilion are a full bar, fireplace and three big-screen TVs.

Construction began last summer on the new restaurant and bar at the 9-hole Allegany golf course.

University officials realized that overhauling the crumbling infrastructure of the Clubhouse Restaurant wasn’t worth the investment so they partnered with Aramark to build the new establishment.

The Fairway View Pavilion can be booked for special events with more than 20 people. Visit stbonavenue.com/new-fairway-view for more information.

Fairway View will close for the season sometime in November, depending on the weather, and reopen in the spring.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. St. Bonaventure was named the #5 regional university value in the North by U.S. News and World Report for 2022.