Parking problem due to laziness:
Numerous spaces are available

 

Valerie DePan
The Advocate

As a student approaching two years here at Mt. Hood Community College, the competition for parking for students and staff members alike is noticeably increasing.

Newer students may want to keep informed.

For example, plan to be here early for “preferred” front row parking. That means 7:30 a.m.

One might not know that Mt. Hood has alternative routes to parking entrances.

Don Oliver, public safety supervisor, points out that there are numerous entrances to the 250-acre campus.

The 29th Street is the most obvious gaining access to prime parking lots designated as E, F, G and H on a first come first served basis. The competition for these spots is fierce.

Noticeably, people start coming and going at lunch time. If your timing is just right, you might be able to snag a spot then.

Otherwise, the best times to gain access to these coveted spaces during regular campus hours is between three p.m. and five p.m.

If you have early classes there’s parking tucked away in lots A, C and D south of the flagpoles and near the pond. However, these spots fill up fast, so plan accordingly.

Many students prefer the Stark Street entrance to avoid congestion. There is ample parking at the north end of campus where Head Start and Early Childhood Development are located in lots J, K, L, M, N and P. Maps are available to students and are located in the Public Safety Office adjacent to the library facing the flagpoles.

The speed limit on campus is 15 miles per hour. Public Safety has access to radar and does write citations for speeding.

Plan on paying the citation within two weeks or you may not be able to register for classes the following semester.

Along North Kane, students can exit, but the entrance is blocked for safety reasons. The Stark Street entrance, located between Kane and Troutdale Road, provides access to lots W, X, Y and Z. These are prime spots for early morning classes in rooms 1700, 1600, and the 1500s (again, upper and lower levels). Some students may prefer to park (lots Q, R, S, T, U and V) at the south end of the campus at 17th Street where the Health and Physical Education classes are located. It takes approximately 10 minutes to walk from one of the campus to the other. Plan accordingly.

There are a total 3,100 parking spaces on the Mt. Hood campus, 80 of which are designated parking spaces for disabled persons. Lot E, across from the library, includes 15 parking spaces reserved for guests of the college along with 16 designated for short-term parking. Beware of 30-minute parking. The penalty is $15 for over-time.

The college campus serves in the neighborhood of 28,000 students each year. According to Mt. Hood’s Fact Book 2005, there are roughly 350 full-time, and 150 part-time faculty employed at the college. Day, evening, and weekend enrollment coupled with employees, is presently 28,500.

No wonder there’s so much competition for parking. Until the day when it’s impossible to find parking, it’s likely the college has no plans for parking expansion. Until that day comes, plan on walking the distance and remember, plan accordingly.

One final note: Don’t become a victim of theft. Do not leave items in vehicles. According to Oliver, thefts have occurred on campus. Alarms and locked vehicles are not a deterrent.