A Very Good Year for Parking at UPEI

by Marieve MacGREGOR

“[The parking situation] is very good this year. Everything is rel- ative, so I guess relatively good is a better answer. It’s definitely better than this time last year,” says Vice President of Finance and Facilities Neil Henry.

; The system is fairly Tae: cars must have a permit. Ifa car does not have a permit sticker, it will be either ticketed or towed.

“The permit is in place to reg- ulate parking,” says Henry.

“The $50 rate. is acide alah low when compared to that of other universities in the Atlantic region ... If parking was free, you could pave over

this; entire;.¢ampus and not. have.

enough space... The fee is in place to make people more efficient about how they arrive on campus.” The sys-

tem was implemented in 1995-to dis-.

courage people from bringing a car. The financial reward -for the University .wasalso. likely a factor in

‘There are over. three’ thousand students attending. UPEI this. year, part-timers included.-There is a staff of over one thousand employees. Last year, there were 1,111 general parking spots, and eighty-six reserved parking spots. This year, with the additional

parking in C lot (by the. new class- |

toom.¢entre)and-the. lot-by. the new Student Centre, we have 118 new parking spots. So, to sum up these numbers, there are four thousand peo- ple on campus daily, and 1,202 gener- al parking spots, excluding the 109 reserved spots and fourteen spots for the disabled. :

- So why don’t we have at least two thousand spots to accommodate

at: least half the. ni versity: oe

tion? | : “Last year ne were com-

plaints about not being able to find.a. parking spot, particularly between

8:30 and 10:00 am,” explains Henry.

In the winter, the parking situation is.

not helped by snow, which can bury forty to fifty parking spaces. He sent security to do a survey of vacant spots

in all general lots at specific times of the day, four times per day, for three weeks.

“The worst that it came to was thirty-five vacancies. Lot D [the farthest away, out.in the. football field] is rarely ever full, but students arriving late and looking for spots close to the buildings, they are: the ones who are complaining.” (Anyone who has walked from lot'D across the open field in the winter may appreci- ate why there are often vacancies..in that particularly cold corner of hell. -Ed.) 4

[The parking situa- tion] is very good:

this year. Everything

is relative, so | guess relatively good isa better answer. It’s:

definitely better man

the implementation of the fee system... . ifs. time. last. year.” =

vistas hs Sad “Neil Henry

Heats says re hn Canes no complaints so far this year.

“Not everyone likes. to com- plain, so chances are that there are ten

- people for every one complaint that is

filediieé: cc A The. additonal. parking, added with the building of the classroom and student centres have obviously been a help. While at the moment the parking by the Student Centre’ is reserved, it will become general park- ing next year. When the Barn is torn down, it will not be used for parking, because of the slope of the ground and. foundation. Most likely, it will be a prospective-building site... .. So-.what does it take to-get.a lot in place? Well, for starters, the

new parking added this. year. is esti+

mated to have cost $300,000, It took four or five months to plan out where to put it, find out what wires and pipes are running under it, and strate- gize how to plot the spaces for maxi- mum use.

AVC Students Host Open House 2001

by Erin E. GRAY

ee

AVC students put on quite a show at their annual Open House on Saturday, November 3rd. With just over 2300 adults and children taking the self-guided tour of the college, vet students were able to show their pride in their school and their studies.

As always, the petting zoo was a major hit with people of all ages. Held in the teaching hospital

barn, chickens, ducks, piglets, sheep; .

a miniature horse, a calf and cow, a

draft horse and even a hedgehog were

given much attention by ae ed lovers.

Other Spins

dren about the correct treatment of companion animals), a demonstration of clicker training (part of a humane dog training program); and a lesson in

gowning and gloving for surgery. .

There were also aquatic displays of unique lobsters, fish and various shell- fish, a fly ball demonstration, ‘a farm service display and a demonstration of an ultrasound on a dog.

included Humane Education (where vet stu- dents visit schools to teach the chil-_

“Students (SAVS).

The student-organized event allows vet students to educate the pub- lic on various aspects of animal care. With over 75 percent of the 240 vet students participating, Open House is an event that is much anticipated event by both students and the public, and raises the level of interest in the Vet College.

“We had amazing support

‘froma the students. We all get so excit-

ed about Open House. It gives us a

chance to enjoy our school and what

we do here,” says Jennifer McKay, Public Relations Representative of the Society of Atlantic Veterinary

“Staff and faculty were also incredibly supportive - without them, this event. would not be possible.”

Vet. students -have already started talking about next year’s Open House, and are:planning for yet more new displays and’ derionstrations to keep this tradition at AVC alive and improving.

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