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CAMPUS”

Oct. 24, 2007

UPEI students left in the cold with new parking deal

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By Ryan Miller

UPEI Students looking for a cozy parking spot with a short walk to class are being forced to the out- side with the new parking deal implemented in 2007.

The new parking system was applied in the new scholastic year as part of the new faculty collec- tive bargaining agreement put in place following the strike. The new plan wardens off a portion of Parking Lot B - the area in front of the KC Irving Chemistry building - as ‘designated parking,' and only faculty and staff from the KC Irving building, AVC and other non-student organizations on cam- pus are permitted to park in this

A multitude of spaces are left tragically un-parked following the new parking plan in 2007. Ryan Miller photo

area. Students are granted the area behind the designated spaces, char- acterized by large concrete blocks in a Berlin wall-esque separation.

Designated parking in Parking Lot C - the area surrounding the classroom centre - is available to all faculty and staff, without restrictions.

Students will be permitted to upgrade to designated parking per- mits after October 1st. Although the deadline is well past, the desig- nated parking areas remain com- paratively empty, as many students balk at the $50 upgrade fee. Whereas a regular full time permit goes at a cost of $80, with a $40 fee for each additional vehicle, the designated parking is available at a cost of $129, with a charge of $65

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per additional vehicle. Neither pass guarantees a parking spot, although the available brochure advertises that passes available at the CARI centre are available at a cost of $82 per student and that there is usually "ample parking" available. The brochure neglects to mention the considerable distance from the parking lot at the CARI centre to most of the buildings on campus, which many students feel is too much - particularly in poor weather condtions.

Michael Deighan parks in CARI

.""Yeah, it's pretty far," said Deighan, a 3rd year Engineering major. "It's pretty shitty that they [the faculty] get the best spots, especially since the spots cost more there and they get [to pur-

chase the passes] first."

A notification passed to University officials indicates that information would be presented to students through ads in the Cadre, signage at parking kiosks and in the accounting office, as well as having information proliferated by security officers on campus. To date, the Cadre is yet to be con- tacted with information regarding the parking plan and the news was not communicated to many stu- dents. Deighan had not heard of the plan until the Cadre approached him to ask his opinion.

"I really though it was the same price," he stated. "I still went for the CARI pass because at least I knew there were parking spaces there." ¢

Rates

Reserved

General Full-Time Students

General Part-Time Students

General Full-Time Faculty and Staff General Part-Time Faculty and Staff Designated Full-Time

Designated Part-Time

Daily Parking Permit

Parking Fees for Academic Year 2007-2008

First Vehicle

$80 $50 $120 $50 $129 $ 65 $ 172 $7.75

CARI Parking: Students -

Each Additional Vehicle

$82

Staff/Faculty - $126

$40 $25 $ 60 $ 25 $65 $33 N/A = N/A