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CHAIN-LINK JUNGLE–Construction fences in parking
Photo Credit: Jack Cagle
Cone zone-- Traffic cones keep buses on one side of the back parking lot and cars on the other, causing longer walks and scavenger hunts for spaces.
Written by Brenda Reimer, Staff Writer
With the new construction comes what seems like a mile of chain link, dozens of orange cones and new parking dilemmas.
“I don’t think they thought this through very well,” junior Stacy Loewen said. “I have been late to class every day since the changes.”
Teachers lost their personal parking space and now have to share with the students. In turn many students are forced to give up the spots they usually park in and hand them over to make room for the teachers unless they come earlier.
“It feels like a mile long, how far we have to walk from the front parking lot to get into the school,” library aide Armandina Munguia said. “I’ve had surgery on my knee so it’s really hard for me, but I deal with it. You gotta do what you gotta do.”
According to Assistant Principal Seth Davis, illegal parking has happened everywhere–on curbs, on sidewalks, in handicapped parking, in visitor’s parking. This also includes parking in the wrong direction and parking across spots.
“First time they get caught, we give them a warning,” Davis said. “After that their vehicle is going to get towed. We’re doing this for the safety of the students because if you get into a wreck, and you were parked illegally, your insurance won’t cover you. So ultimately, these precautions are for the students.”
The first few days after the break were confusing as cars went every which way, trying to find a spot and circling until one was found.
“My car’s going to get hit,” senior Jasmine Torres said. “I used to park as close to the doors as possible, but now I park as far away as I can to avoid getting hit.”
The back parking lot, usually filled only halfway, is now completely filled on a daily basis.
“I used to have a parking space where no one else would park,” sophomore Dakota Crump said. “Now I always have to search for a spot. This makes it really complicated for the students, and there is a more likely chance of having wrecks.”
Just for that reason, new signs have been put up in the back that weren’t there before. Arrows have been painted on the ground so no one drives into each other going down the same parking lane.
“I usually get to school right before the bell rings, and I still have a spot to park,” Loewen said. “Now I have to get up early to get a spot in the parking lot, or else I have to circle all the way around again and again to look for one.”
With all the new things happening in the parking lots, administrators have had more supervision to make sure things are handled properly.
“I think we should definitely have more teacher monitors in the parking lots,” Torres said. “By doing that people will stop all their illegal parking, and there won’t be as much damage done to any of the cars.”
The back parking lot isn’t the only one with new complications. The front went through major changes as well. All but one of the front doors are fenced due to all the construction, so the only entrance is the new gym’s doors. This means walking all the way through the gyms to get to the classroom section of the school.
“The solution would be to make a new parking space for the students,” Crump said. “That way we can have more room to park and don’t have to walk so far.”
Loewen also believes this would solve the problem.
“They should build a bigger parking lot,” Loewen said. “With all the construction going on, they should be able to manage.”
When it comes down to it, not many people are too happy with the changes. Of course, they’re going to have to wait it out until everything is up and running again.
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January 27th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
The parking situation “lacks gravity”… I don’t even have a car, so I can’t fully enjoy the unhappiness it seems to be giving to so many people.
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adviser Reply:
January 27th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
So sad to be fenced in the world.
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January 27th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
I hate parking, especially when I want to drive.
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