Leopards lose their (parking) spots

editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle
editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle

The more things change, the more they stay the same-or get worse. At the University of La Verne, parking has always been an issue. And with increasing enrollment, ULV has more traffic problems than the 210, 605, 57 and 10 freeways combined.

Given the number of students, both on and off campus, finding spots, not 20-minute parking spots or handicap spots or carpool spots, but legal spots, have turned into a first come, first served dilemma.

With this log jam of vehicles, some students found resting points for their automobiles on B Street while others parked in the residential areas of the city. So it seemed that the only result of the increased ULV population (an extra 440 students) was a few extra minutes of walking for those unlucky enough to have to park in those areas (but be careful jaywalkers, the La Verne Police Department quickly writes tickets for not using the crosswalks).

However, this is where the University and the city of La Verne began to draw the line in the sand, er, asphalt.

When the residents of B and Third streets, to name a few, began to complain of the excess traffic and lack of parking, the city dealt with the problem by labeling some areas as permit only. Other spots, along D Street, became green-painted, 20-minute zones. Instead of fixing the problem, fuel was added to the fire.

Roping off sections of the city is not the answer. In its attempt to expand, the University must realize that growth requires a plan of attack.

There is more than one way to fix ULV’s and the city’s parking situation. One would have to be just letting the students park in the resident and business areas. The pulse of the city begins here at the University. Businesses, residents and everyone else must realize that the students of ULV make this city what it is, especially for the D Street restaurants. Fact is, Lordsburg College was here long before many restaurants and homes.

But the glaring solution is a parking structure. The building would not have to be limited to ULV students and faculty but instead be available for all of those La Verne residents who complain about the lack of spots on D Street.

Funding would be a partnership between the city and the University, which means some of the revenue would be generated by the students’ tuition and some by the residents.

Carpooling could be a way ULV students could address the problem on their own, but since class schedules stretch from the early morning to the early evening, students would have to coordinate pickup and drop off times among them, which may be grounds for receiving credit in an independent study course of statistics.

The new parking lots near the Oaks will help and the time-restricted parking lot adjacent to the new home of the ULV Bookstore will aid in the dilemma, but 50-60 spots still does not meet the needs of the city and the University.

The structure and labeled sections solutions may sound difficult to achieve or implement, and they very well may be. But these ideas may be easier to accomplish than finding a place to park during University hours.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Natalie Fowle, Photography Editor
Natalie Fowle

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