STORY BY CHRIS COUTTS
In these parking lots, there are haves, and there are have-nots.
Sheridan College now offers its faculty the chance to pay for a “preferred parking” spot at its Trafalgar and Davis Campuses.
“We’ve offered the same rate for years and years,” said Cathy Sloat, Sheridan’s security and parking operations manager. “We wanted to come up with an option for employees who have a job that requires them to be in and out [of campus] frequently in the day,” as well as offering employees the option to have a dedicated parking spot near an entrance of their choosing.
Faculty were able to apply online to purchase a preferred parking spot for $595 annually in two of three designated parking lots at each campus. An annual parking pass costs $495, while a two-semester pass costs $430.
A faculty survey in August was used to both identify which campus they park at as well as the two lots they preferred to use. Preferred spots are limited to the campus and lots chosen.
Sloat said that as of the end of the first week of fall classes, everyone who had requested a spot had received one, with Trafalgar seeing more takers than Davis.
Michael Burjaw, Sheridan’s head of security, is one of the faculty members who opted for a preferred spot at Trafalgar.
“I’m in and out [of campus] a little bit, and I go to the gym at lunch,” said Burjaw. “I have a spot that’s between my office and the gym, so I don’t have to haul my gym stuff around before and after I work out.”
None of the spots affect those with accessibility or mobility issues, Burjaw said, and no one will ever be forced to pay more to be able to park closer to the college.
Since fewer than 20 people applied for parking at the two campuses, faculty are still able to opt for a preferred spot. Burjaw said that he is unaware of any instances of improper parking in the preferred spots.
The impact on individuals who arrive early to park should be minimal as there are “still plenty of great places to park at Trafalgar” throughout the day, Burjaw said.