A temporary dirt lot is now open and being used as the new student overflow parking lot. The lot is located near the Child Development Center and has been open since April 11.
The temporary lot was created due to the closure of parking lot 8 for major upgrades that include, new markings and a state-of-the-art payment system which you can discover more here if you’re interested in the new system being implemented. According to the Associative Vice President of Administrator Services Larry Kraus, lot 8 will remain closed until mid-August.
The dirt parking lot is estimated to have space for about 70 to 80 cars, where as parking lot 8 held a little over 100 spaces.
Kraus informed that the decision to open up this lot was to ease students when finals approach, and more parking spaces in general.
” I am not parking over there, they must think I’m crazy,” said Heather Ramirez who drives a 2010 Scion tC.
Ramirez explains that she just bought this car all on her own, and doesn’t think her new car should be parked in a dirt lot.
” Thats shit. I didn’t pay for this parking pass to park my new car in dirt,” said Ramirez.
Although some students like Ramirez are angry at the closure of parking lot 8 in addition to parking lot 1, Pierce is trying to improve their campus and go green that is why there was an abrupt closing of the lots.
The lots are going under construction because Pierce is trying to reduce electricity costs, and so the lots are getting installed with a new electricity system called photovoltaics.
“Photovoltaics is a way of generating electricity through solar power, and using renewable resources,” said Kraus.” It’s very green.”
Pierce is not the first campus to take on this greener approach, a lot of other community colleges are now on board for a greener campus informed Kraus.
Nathan Tahiry who is 19-year-old business major, says that he likes the idea of having a greener campus. He hopes that by having this new photovoltaic system the school will be able to afford classes that are being cut.
“I would rather have less parking, then less classes,” said Tahiry. “Just get to school earlier to find parking.”