Council hears of parking woes faced by U of L students
Council asks administration for more information
Frustrated with getting caught up in “red tape,” one University of Lethbridge student shone a spotlight on the university’s parking woes during Monday’s city council meeting.
Last September, students learned there were 300 fewer parking spaces due to construction of the university’s Destination Project. Combined with increased enrolment, this resulted in parking congestion on the streets and in parking lots around the university.
The U of L responded by opening some parking lots farther from campus, but it wasn’t enough, said student spokesperson Angie Nikoleychuk.
“Tensions began to mount between students and westside residents and businesses. Meanwhile, the U of L administration didn’t seem to have many answers,” she said during her presentation.
In addition, students learned they would be paying higher fines for parking without a pass. There are now thousands on a waiting list for a parking pass, she said.
To help provide some relief, Nikoleychuk requested a decrease in the cost of post-secondary transit passes to $289 per year (currently $289 per semester) and the ability to pay semiannually.
A post-secondary transit pass would then cost the same as a senior transit pass. Currently there are about 500 students with a transit pass, she said, and they hope to increase it to 1,000 to maintain or increase the City’s revenue stream.
“We feel like we’ve been abandoned and we’re stuck in a system that doesn’t work and doesn’t give us what we need,” said Nikoleychuk. “We’re asking for this even if it’s temporary, until more permanent solutions could be put into place.”
Most Alberta universities have a UPass system and the U of L is one of the rare ones without.
On two previous occasions, students had the option to adopt the UPass system. Both times it was voted down for a number of reasons including no opt-out clause.
To bring forward the proposal again would take another one to three years, Nikoleychuk explained.
“We need something now,” she said. Nikoleychuk also noted the Transit Master Plan being drafted, but it will be years before it’s put into place.
Council members asked many questions and debated whether the issue would best be resolved by the university.
Ultimately, council deferred a decision until they receive more information. City administration was tasked with providing a report back to council by March 27.
“This is a really complex, massive problem. It doesn’t have an easy solution,” said Nikoleychuk. “In all reality, this is probably the best I hoped for. Even if nothing comes out of this, I know going forward we’ll get something students need instead of whatever they’re given.”