Concerns over parking spread off campus as parents gripe

Dear Editor,
   
    Being a freshman parent, I have followed with great interest the recent letters dealing with parking. My daughter is a resident of Foundation Hall and is required to park in the Irwin Street lot.
    I have two observations I would like to make.
    My wife and I recently visited our daughter for the day. I parked in the lot behind Foundation Hall and promptly received a $30 parking citation for "out of zone parking/failing to register." I admit to my wrongdoing, but I would like to point out there is no designated parking for visitors anywhere near the dorms that I could find. Is GCSU sending a message to parents they are unwelcome during the week?
    My second observation deals with the parking lot itself. At 4 p.m. the lot behind Foundation was nearly empty. Surely it would be a better arrangement to allow dormitory residents to park in this lot and commuters to park in the Irwin Street lot. I echo the many sentiments expressed here earlier. Why force freshmen girls (or anyone, for that matter) to walk late at night on darkened streets through a scary neighborhood to their dorm when there is more than adequate parking immediately behind the dorm? It is easy for GCSU to say work orders have been submitted, but the fact remains the streets are still dark.
    Possibly college administrators need to go out to the Irwin Street lot at 11:30 p.m., or later, and walk back to the dorms themselves to see first-hand the unsafe situation that currently exists. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to express myself.

Sincerely,
J. Smith
GCSU parent

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 13 2006. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry