As summer 2024 started, Park’s old parking lot got torn up and ready for the 2024-2025 school year, and students came back to school in early Sept. to a brand new lot. With buses taking up a section of the parking lot, spots are limited, but Park added new assigned numbers so students with parking permits consistently have a spot.
Senior Lathan Harmston said he’s happy with the new assigned spots, and it’s nice knowing that students automatically get a spot.
“I love assigned spots because it’s really easy to park in one spot everyday and you are guaranteed a spot,” Harmston said.
Front office attendant Mary Strouts said she likes the improvements made in the parking lot. She said she likes the functionality of the assigned spots.
“I think that is the first one working a lot better than in past years, having assigned spots, it’s easier to make sure that students have their own spots,” Strout said.
Junior Ollie Culp said he appreciates the new system because people without permits can’t steal spots.
“It’s the right way to do things,” Culp said. “Then people aren’t taking spots and people without parking permits are not stealing anybody’s spot.”
Strouts said with the buses taking up space, there aren’t enough spots for students to park. Strouts said she likes that students who bought a parking permit don’t have to worry about having a spot when they get to school.
“There are not enough parking spots for students with the new layout,” Strouts said. “Although the students who paid 100 dollars for a parking spot are now guaranteed a place to park.”
Harmston said with the limited size of the parking lot, he didn’t know if he could get a spot.
“I think the parking lot should be bigger because I was originally on the waitlist and wasn’t sure if I could get a spot,” Harmston said.
Culp said he likes that buses are off the streets and in a safe parking lot. He said that it is much safer for students to drive and walk around with more visibility.
“(The bus spots are) good,” Culp said. “It clears the street from all the business, so it’s good from a safety standpoint. (It’s) also just an awareness standpoint for all the vehicles.”
According to Culp, the parking lot should have some more flow to it. He said he thinks there should be multiple exits to speed up the existing process.
“I’d get two exits, so then people aren’t waiting as long,” Culp said. “I know I’ve been in the line (for) 10-15 minutes.”
