by Lisa Goudy
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| University of Regina President Vianne Timmons was on hand for a public forum on parking issues at the University of Regina on Friday. Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Regina Leader-Post |
Frustrated University of Regina students had a chance to voice their parking concerns on campus publicly.
A public forum on parking issues took place Friday at the U of R where President Vianne Timmons was available to hear students' comments, answer their questions and listen to ideas regarding parking problems on campus.
Concerns included high prices of permits, parking tickets, metered parking and the lack of parking availability.
"I think it went very well. Students have great suggestions and we're going to take them all under consideration and see what we can do," said Timmons after the forum. She said a solution to this will be discussed in meetings starting next week.
The forum was held at the request of the University of Regina Students' Union.
It was well attended by students who voiced complaints such as being far down the permit waiting list, having to park in someone else's spot because there are no spots available where they purchased a permit and having to run out during classes to fill the parking meter.
"Students double park in the parking lots and they take up two spots and it bugs me because I paid my parking," said student Fahreen Surtie. "Taking up two spots is completely unfair for me because then I have to go park at a meter."
It was reported earlier this year that the university sold 25-per-cent more parking permits than there are spaces. Timmons said that is not some sort of money grab.
"We look very much at the traffic flows in and out. Some lots we don't sell any extra passes on, so we monitor that very carefully to try and maximize our parking opportunities," said Timmons, who also said that if passes were not oversold, some students would be upset over seeing empty parking spaces. She also said that she thought the U-Pass for bus transportation would solve several of the parking issues.
"I'm really encouraged that students are interested in the U-Pass and I'm going to work very closely with the students' union if they're willing to look at pursuing that route," she said.
The U-Pass was previously discussed with a referendum to students in March 2009, but the idea was rejected by the majority of students, with 1,887 voting no and only 779 voting yes.
Surtie said she felt the forum was successful.
"It was pretty informative and I appreciate the president coming out to listen to our concerns and take it into account in their meetings next week. It got the students' voices heard.
"I'm all for the parkade idea. I don't care how much it costs, as long as I have parking on campus and I can get to school on time."
Another student, Danielle Tataryn, said she is upset about the lack of parking on campus.
"It is frustrating for people who spend all that money into a parking pass and have nowhere to park when you get there or you're driving around the lot and can't find a parking spot," said Tataryn.
She said that she had stood in line for a permit during the first week of classes and just before she got to the front, the passes were sold out. Fortunately, she said she was high enough up on the wait list that she was able to get a permit.
"I do like parking passes and after not having one for the first few weeks, I know that having a parking pass is a lot better than having to walk and park on a side street," she said. "I tried to do metered parking but for people that are at the school for long periods of time, meter parking gets very expensive."
She said that earlier last week, she drove to a parking lot she usually finds parking in only to discover it was closed for guest parking for a seminar.
"That shut me down a lot and really doesn't help. Parking's already a problem," she said. "I think another parking lot could always be an option."
A public forum on parking issues took place Friday at the U of R where President Vianne Timmons was available to hear students' comments, answer their questions and listen to ideas regarding parking problems on campus.
Concerns included high prices of permits, parking tickets, metered parking and the lack of parking availability.
"I think it went very well. Students have great suggestions and we're going to take them all under consideration and see what we can do," said Timmons after the forum. She said a solution to this will be discussed in meetings starting next week.
The forum was held at the request of the University of Regina Students' Union.
It was well attended by students who voiced complaints such as being far down the permit waiting list, having to park in someone else's spot because there are no spots available where they purchased a permit and having to run out during classes to fill the parking meter.
"Students double park in the parking lots and they take up two spots and it bugs me because I paid my parking," said student Fahreen Surtie. "Taking up two spots is completely unfair for me because then I have to go park at a meter."
It was reported earlier this year that the university sold 25-per-cent more parking permits than there are spaces. Timmons said that is not some sort of money grab.
"We look very much at the traffic flows in and out. Some lots we don't sell any extra passes on, so we monitor that very carefully to try and maximize our parking opportunities," said Timmons, who also said that if passes were not oversold, some students would be upset over seeing empty parking spaces. She also said that she thought the U-Pass for bus transportation would solve several of the parking issues.
"I'm really encouraged that students are interested in the U-Pass and I'm going to work very closely with the students' union if they're willing to look at pursuing that route," she said.
The U-Pass was previously discussed with a referendum to students in March 2009, but the idea was rejected by the majority of students, with 1,887 voting no and only 779 voting yes.
Surtie said she felt the forum was successful.
"It was pretty informative and I appreciate the president coming out to listen to our concerns and take it into account in their meetings next week. It got the students' voices heard.
"I'm all for the parkade idea. I don't care how much it costs, as long as I have parking on campus and I can get to school on time."
Another student, Danielle Tataryn, said she is upset about the lack of parking on campus.
"It is frustrating for people who spend all that money into a parking pass and have nowhere to park when you get there or you're driving around the lot and can't find a parking spot," said Tataryn.
She said that she had stood in line for a permit during the first week of classes and just before she got to the front, the passes were sold out. Fortunately, she said she was high enough up on the wait list that she was able to get a permit.
"I do like parking passes and after not having one for the first few weeks, I know that having a parking pass is a lot better than having to walk and park on a side street," she said. "I tried to do metered parking but for people that are at the school for long periods of time, meter parking gets very expensive."
She said that earlier last week, she drove to a parking lot she usually finds parking in only to discover it was closed for guest parking for a seminar.
"That shut me down a lot and really doesn't help. Parking's already a problem," she said. "I think another parking lot could always be an option."
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