Parking tight on Mohawk College Fennell campus

Plan in works to add 254 general parking spaces next summer

Student parking at the Fennell campus of Mohawk College might be a bit of a challenge in the coming weeks.

College spokesperson Jay Robb said permits for the 2,500 general parking spaces have been sold out, which means students and visitors will have to use the day parking that is still available.

Robb said the $288 per semester general parking permits were snapped up shortly after they went on sale Aug. 14.

“We send out notices to all our new and returning students to let them know permits are going on sale and to buy early,” Robb said.

He noted parking is traditionally tight at the beginning of the school year, but more parking spaces should get freed up later in the coming weeks.

“As the semester goes on students figure out their calendar and the rhythm of school and that they’re not here for the entire day … so there will be lots of parking,” Robb said.

He added the college will be looking to sell more general parking permits later in the fall as the demand for spaces eases.

Robb noted the college encourages students to use public transit via the bus terminal at Fennell Avenue and West 5th Street, and all fulltime students are issued an HSR pass. The college also encourages students not to park on side streets in the area.

In most cases, Robb said, college staff use the 450-spot preferred parking lot that costs $914 per year (all college staff pay for parking).

He said the college will be adding another 254 general parking spaces to the Fennell campus next summer.

At McMaster University, spokesperson Wade Hemsworth said the university is in a different situation than Mohawk because it has a GO station on campus that handles 3,000 passengers per day, and 4,000 first-year students live in residence on campus.

Mac students also receive HSR bus passes as part of their fees, and there are 600 HSR bus trips a day from the university.

“And the university continues to add parking whenever it builds new buildings,” he said.

The new L.R. Wilson Hall building, for example, is being built with underground parking.

The university has 4,800 parking spaces.

Daily permits remain available, but once the academic term starts, Mac holds off issuing any new monthly or term permits, Hemsworth said.

“In the first month or so of term, we do have some fluctuations in terms of student numbers, and once that settles, we will make more longer-term permits available.”