Clarke St. lot opens for business
A new parking lot with more than 90 spaces opened last Wednesday at 425 N. Clarke St., about one-and-a-half blocks from Georgia College & State University.
Those students who know the daily frustration of hopeless searches for parking, outstanding parking fines and long walks to class are thankful for the additional space.
“I like parking here because it’s free and there’s always a spot,” said junior Guy Caldwell. “I was sick of getting tickets. I even got my car towed one day.”
The new parking lot, rudimentary and made of gravel, is a convenient four-minute walk from campus down a residential path free of construction.
Wilkinson Colonial Properties is responsible for leasing the land used for the parking lot to GC&SU. Jeff Wilkinson, who has been working with the college on parking solutions for years, maintains the site with the help of his family; together, they make sure it serves students only.
“There are times when I’ve had to park downtown, quite a ways from the school,” said junior Rob Worth. “I stopped dishing out money for a parking pass because it’s not worth it, but finding a spot on the street can take a while.”
Some who park in the N. Clarke lot say many students do not yet know it is there, and that it is free. Surprisingly desolate, the new lot may have fewer than 10 automobiles in the middle of any given weekday.
It is GC&SU’s best kept secret, and some students like it that way.
“I hope nobody else finds out about it so I can keep parking here!” said junior Jennifer Crick. “I’m thankful to have this parking lot because of its location. It’s so close; you would think we’d have to pay to park here.”
GC&SU parking officer Betty Hunt said there hasn’t been any noticeable decrease in parking fines on campus since the new parking lot’s opening.
“I can’t see a difference,” said Hunt. “I don’t think they’re utilizing the lot. The cars parked there are the ones that used to park on the street. I am happy to see some use that lot, but I wish more of them would use it.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 22 2004. Filed under News.
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