Parking situation at BU has students frustrated

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This article was published 07/09/2012 (5023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s only a few days into classes, but frustrations are already mounting at Brandon University over parking issues.

A recurring complaint is the fact that parking spots on streets near the university only have a two-hour limit.

“It’s ridiculous because we have classes that are three hours all the time,” said Alexandra Daum, a fourth-year student. “I have four classes that are three hours each, so you can’t even go out and move your car.”

Brandon University Students’ Union president Carissa Taylor said she has heard many complaints from students regarding parking on and around campus.

“It’s always a huge issue,” Taylor said, adding she’d like to see the streets have a 3.5-hour limit.

“I think it should be extended because I know it’s cutting it close for a lot of students,” Taylor said.

For the past three years, Daum paid for a non-serviced parking spot at a cost of roughly $150 per year. When she went to purchase a pass this year, she found out the majority of the spots are now serviced, bringing the cost up to $280.

“I don’t want to spend that, it’s the same amount as paying for a course,” Daum said.

The much-sought-after all-day parking spots near the university are snapped up first thing in the morning, Daum said.

“People are here probably before 8 a.m. to get those spots, and nothing in the university opens until 8:30, so it’s either people who work here who are taking those spots, or (residence) students are just keeping their cars there,” she said.

To avoid the parking frustration, administration suggests students living within the city can take the bus or walk if they live close enough.

Daum lives north of Forrest, so she has no choice but to drive in every day.

“Yesterday I parked as close to the university as I could get, and I was still six blocks away,” Daum said.

“It’s not really a problem right now because it’s still pretty warm out, but most of the school year is cold … Another issue is that we have to park on all the side streets and they don’t get plowed.”

Due to the construction of the Healthy Living Centre, several former parking areas are out of commission.

“At the moment we have between about 550 and 600 parking spots,” said Scott Lamont, the university’s vice-president of administration and finance. “And we actually sell more than that, we oversell parking lots because we know that everybody doesn’t come every day.”

Once construction is complete, they expect to add another 150 spots to the mix, but the timeline is unclear.

“It’s basically when the building is finished,” Lamont said. “So whether it’ll be this winter, or whether it won’t be till spring, we’re not sure, but we’re hopeful that there will be more parking spots available before the snow flies.”

Lamont said no matter how many parking spots are available, every year there is always more demand than the university can meet, and there is a waiting list.

“It’s not anything particularly new, but as the year goes on, people make other arrangements and … usually, the waiting list is gone by the time we get to Christmas,” he said. “So it works out, but I can understand it’s likely frustrating for somebody at the start of the process.”

As for the two-hour limit on side streets, Lamont said he doesn’t see that changing.

“We’re trying to both accommodate students on the streets, who can’t get parking spots, or don’t wish to have to pay for regular parking … but at the same time, we try to look after the needs of the people in the community, to try to be good neighbours,” he said. “So that means keeping the cars moving and not blocking up the streets all day, every day.”

Lamont said most classes during the day are one hour, while evening classes tend to be three hours.

“Not many classes are three hours, especially during the day,” he said. “Anybody after 4:30 can park in any parking lot they wish.”

» jaustin@brandonsun.com