Have you ever wondered why UR seems to host fewer “big name” attractions as compared to other nearby colleges? Surely we’re as deserving of a Bob Dylan or Drake concert as the Rochester Institute of Technology or SUNY Binghamton. What often prevents UR from being a preferred venue for such events is that the campus lacks something many surrounding college have: public parking.
It’s usually enough of an inconvenience for a student to find a good parking spot on campus during a school night. But UR’s lack of public parking is especially problematic if it restricts exciting events that could be brought to our campus, or when it brings upon a chaotic parking overflow — as is typical for Meliora Weekend. This past weekend, many students, family members and alumni were unable to park anywhere on campus, as the multitudes of visitors members filled up all available spots. They were instead designated to overflow parking areas at the Laser Lab and Whipple Park, with shuttle service to those areas running until 7 p.m. Even then, some people still couldn’t find a spot. Meliora Weekend’s parking situation could have been much less chaotic if only there were a spacious public parking area provided for the many visitors.
As it stands now, visitors can park in most on-campus lots after 7 p.m. on weekdays and all day throughout the weekend. Outside of the Library Lot and some of the Todd Union Lot, UR’s closest visitor parking lots are around the UR Medical Center — not exactly a prime location for visitors to the River Campus. A new public parking lot, parking garage or underground parking area would obviously be a task that would require advance planning, so now is a great time to start thinking about this important venture. Only a few years ago, this University was able to utilize the available space and resources to construct the Riverview Apartments in just a year — it’s time to put that same ambition to use for public parking zones. It’s an addition that would greatly benefit not just the UR community, but the Rochester community at large.
