TUE 30 NOV 2004
Rec center enforces stricter parking patrols
By Amanda SchankAssistant Sports & Rec Editor
Students who once claimed ignorance regarding the Student Recreation Center’s parking regulations will now have to search for a different excuse.
In an effort to curb improper use of the SRC’s parking facilities, University of Idaho’s parking services developed a new policy, which became effective Monday. Kimi Lucas, manager of UI Parking and Information Services, said the policy targets students who take advantage of the center’s free, two-hour parking.
KIANNA HAIL / ARGONAUT - SRC officials will be placing stricter regulations on parking lots meant only for those using the rec center.
The SRC has two parking lots on its east and west sides. Parking in the lots is free for SRC customers and designated as two-and-a-half-hour parking only.
Lucas said the primary complaints from patrons and faculty deal with students who abuse the free parking, using it for reasons other than the SRC.
“I’ll be waiting for a spot when another car pulls in and a student comes out, throws on their pack, and goes to classes,” said Jim Kuska, an emeritus faculty member and SRC patron. “Another time a student parked and then got in someone else’s car and left. They’re just not using it for the SRC, and after a while the turnover is just not there because kids are stuck in classes.”
Since Monday, a stricter monitoring system has begun on the SRC’s lots. Anyone who wants to use the lots will have to record the current time and license plate number on a sign-up sheet located inside the center.
At various times throughout the day, parking attendants will collect the sign-up sheets and check the lots. Any car not on the sheet could receive a ticket.
Lucas said the new system is the only arrangement parking services has come up with that won’t “take a huge amount of capital or time from the SRC personnel.”
Parking attendants will be distributing warnings for the next three weeks. In the spring semester they will begin issuing $20 tickets.
While parking has always been an issue, Peg Hamlett, SRC fitness manager, said it has become a major problem in the past semester. Hamlett attributes the growth to word of mouth.
“Students feel that they pay fees for the center so they can use it and the parking any time they want,” Hamlett said. “They think it’s free parking, but in the long run, it doesn’t help them. When we have problems like this it impacts student fees because we have to go to other solutions.”
Sophomore public relations major Matt Childres he has used the center’s parking lots for reasons other than using the SRC. Childres said it was easy to “work the system” by moving his car every two hours.
“There’s such a lack of parking anyway,” Childres said. “It’s hard to rationalize parking a long way for where I need to go if I’m only going to be there for a few hours. … It’s legitimate parking to me.”
While most student patrons of the center agree parking is a problem, some think that the new system is only a partial solution.
“If people get tickets they’ll probably stop doing it,” second-year law student Will Orndorff said. “It seems like I always see ticket people around so it should be enforced, but it seems like it’s a bigger problem of not enough parking.”
Katie Colvin, an SRC employee and sophomore school and community health education and pre-nursing major, said parking services also needs to address the issue of providing a place for SRC faculty to park.
Colvin said most of the staff works in shifts of three hours, but parking is only allowed for two and a half hours, causing many employees to get tickets.
“The new system is a good start; it’s good to know that they’re recognizing that there is an issue,” Colvin said. “It will be appreciated by a lot of people, but there’s still issues with employee parking. … At least every employee has gotten a ticket and one even got the boot. So far, parking services has refused to listen to the employees.”
Lucas suggests students looking for places to park should consider buying blue permits, which are still available for $30 in December or $27 in January. Blue permit parking areas include parking behind the Kibbie Dome or on Sweet Avenue.
Regardless of where students choose to park, parking services and SRC patrons and faculty hope the new policy will cause the SRC lots to no longer be an option.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Hamlett said. “It’s a cumbersome solution, but at least it’s the start of a solution.”
Today
World AIDS Day quilt displayIdaho Commons
8 a.m.
Env. health and safety workshop
Ag Science Building, Room 62
9 a.m.
Dissertation: Jui-Ying Huang, education
College of Education, Room 301
11 a.m.
World AIDS Day panel discussion
Idaho Commons Crest Room
12:30 p.m.
Work and Life workshop
SRC Conference Room
2 p.m.
Moscow Toastmasters meeting
University Inn, Centennial Room
6:30 p.m.
“Landscapes Idaho”
UITV-8
8 p.m.
Historic piano recital series
School of Music Recital Hall
8 p.m.
Wednesday
Env. health and safety workshopAg Science Building, Room 62
9 a.m.
UI Plant and Soil Science Club sale
Idaho Commons
11 a.m.
Martin Forum: “Partners of the Americas”
Idaho Commons Horizon-Aurora Room
noon
Work and Life workshop SRC Conference Room 1 p.m.
World AIDS Day candlelight vigil
Idaho Commons courtyard
5:30 p.m.
“Mostly Moscow”
UITV-8
7:30 p.m.
Student recital: Natalie Hubner, flute
School of Music Recital Hall
8 p.m.
Thursday
Staff Affairs Committee meetingIdaho Commons Crest Room
2 p.m.
Env. health and safety workshop
Ag Science Building, Room 62
3 p.m.
Student recital: Alisha Janelle Laros, composition
School of Music Recital Hall
6 p.m.
Student recital: Lydia Welhan, piano
School of Music Recital Hall
8 p.m.
News Editor: Jessie Bonner
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