Students find hope in new pilot parking initiative
A discounted student-only permit was released for Lot 16 as a pilot project for fall 2024. The semester-long pass is $399, replacing the monthly passes at $139, tax included.
“This single-term permit is aimed to support students who, after paying for tuition, student fees, and often housing costs, may not have money available at the start of the term to afford an annual permit,” according to the Algonquin College Parking Services website. “This new option will be more cost-effective than purchasing several monthly permits throughout the term, a practice students currently choose.”
Lot 16 was added in 2021 after the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre opened. The building occupies space that was part of Lots 8 and 9. Lot 16 was created to accommodate the loss of space, according to Roch Lafond, the manager of parking, lockers, coin-ops and card services.
Lot 16 is south of Lots 9 and 12. To get to buildings west of the student commons, students are required to walk across Lots 12, 9 and 8.
“The location of the lot depends on which building you’re in for convenience,” said Kim Brooks, who’s in the first year of studying for a bachelor of science in nursing. “Even if you’re in building C and parking in 16, it’s still convenient to be able to park on campus without needing to rely on public transit.”
“As someone who attends both uOttawa and Algonquin College, parking at Algonquin is stress-free and easy due to the amount of parking as well as the size of the spots leaving room to park larger vehicles,” said Brooks.
Elise Nizio, a second-year police foundations student, said, “I think the college sees firsthand that the parking situation has become an issue. It’s good to know that they’re aware of its current state and want to take action to address it.”
According to Lafond, as the campus continues to grow, more parking options will be considered, as well as improved parking lots.
The Parking Services team has been working to re-grade Lots 1, 16 and 17. Those with passes for Lots 15 and 17 will receive emails notifying them of changes.
Lot 16 will remain unpaved for the time being. Future paving is being considered to improve traffic flow, drainage, and safety, especially during the winter season, according to Lafond.
In the meantime, students are weighing in on how the existing situation affects them.
“I feel like that isn’t a big problem for some students,” said Annabel Henderson, a second-year child and youth care student. “I’m glad they’re adding more options since the lots can be quite busy at certain times of the day.”
During the winter semester, the snow accumulated from the parking lots will be moved to the southeast field area, away from Lot 16, to keep parking spaces available.
