By Mallory Sherwood, Managing Editor
The current car-length row of dirt and destroyed concrete will no longer be the diagonal parking spaces that off-campus students and men living in Mabee and Edwards residence halls use to park in every day. Instead, a new exercise trail, expected to be complete by Oct. 1, is be-ing built around campus.
This new construction, along with the construction of Barret Hall across the street, has many students worried that they will no longer have anywhere to park when they drive to class.
Bob Nevill, director of Physical Resources, said in an e-mail that parking may be lost because of construction of the exercise trail and residence hall but that students will still have parking.
“The reconstruction of Campus Court will affect some parking along Campus Court,” Nevill said, “but the lots at University Church [of Christ], in the area near Edwards Hall, along the area near Elmer Gray [Stadium], Powell [Fitness Center], and from Morris Hall to Crutcher Scott [Field] will be used more than they have in the past.”
Nevill said he hasn’t heard any complaints yet about a lack of parking and doesn’t think there will be a shortage this year.
Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, said he agreed. “Parking will be tight for a little while, but students will still have places to park; they just may have to walk a little farther,” Money said.
Soon, students will be able to park adjacent to Barret Hall and parallel to Ed—wards and Mabee halls, once construction is complete.
Not all students agree about the parking situation though.
“There definitely isn’t enough of it,” said Chris Bayer, freshman business major from Houston. “All I hear from my friends is, ‘Aww, man. Someone took my spot.’ The problem is they don’t even have room for expansion of parking lots with all of the buildings surrounding them.”
However, more than 2,500 parking spots are available on campus just for students, not including more than 400 parking spots available for faculty that students can use in the evenings and on weekends.
Although parking may seem tighter than in the past, students concerned can look for parking spots in the Big Purple Parking Lot, in the parking lot near Williams Performing Arts Center and behind the Campus Center.
