By T.R. White
The Scene staff
Forest Park started construction on its new Transportation Center in the fall of 2023, eliminating dozens of parking spaces and creating widespread problems for students and employees.
People often have to drive around and around, trying to find places to park. In some cases, it causes students to be late for class.
“This has been an issue since they started building last school year,” said math professor Jaron Ray. “I just park out back by the trees.”
“Sometimes there are no spaces back there or near the (Art Annex), in which case you have no other option but to park on Oakland. You just have to get here early to find parking.”
The school is asking students to park in Lots A, B, C or F, the three-level parking garage, an auxiliary lot east of the Art Annex on Highland Park Drive or along Highlander Drive along the west edge of campus.
People also have been parking along Oakland Avenue, a busy thoroughfare where it’s normally prohibited by the city of St. Louis. Officials are making an exception on the north side only, according to a notice in the Oct. 14 edition of the Forest Park faculty and staff newsletter.
“Please remind your students that parking is not allowed on the south side of Oakland Avenue,” the notice stated. “It creates a safety issue for cyclists attempting to use the bike lane, it obscures oncoming traffic for people exiting off South Drive, and the City of St. Louis has regularly been issuing citations to cars parked illegally.”
Lt. David Berryman, Forest Park’s police commander, noted that the college striped Highlander Drive to create about 40 new parking spaces at a 45-degree angle.
In recent weeks, campus police have stepped up efforts to enforce parking restrictions by writing tickets for violations.
“They are inhouse tickets, but if you do not pay them, there will be a hold placed on your student account,” Berryman said. “The tickets are from $10 to $50, depending on the violation.”
Berryman encouraged people to consider parking in Lot F, which is south of Wise Avenue. “
(That lot is) further back and requires some walking, but I notice there is always parking there,” he said. “People want to be close. It may not be convenient parking, but you can always find parking in the back and in the garage without violating parking rules.”
Another problem this semester is that more people have been parking in handicap-accessible parking spaces without permits, according to officials.
Occupational therapy students partnered with Campus Life on an initiative called the Accessible Parking Project to raise awareness about the impact of able-bodied people parking in those spaces.
An informational event was held during Midterm Madness Week in October, allowing people to try using crutches, wheelchairs and other mobility devices to help them understand how difficult it is for those with disabilities to do things others take for granted.
“We hope the event will help people understand why they should not (park in handicap-accessible spaces),” said occupational therapy major Liz Schnorbus.
Rose McAndrew, assistant professor of occupational therapy, said one way of dealing with this situation is to leave sticky notes on windshields of cars, notifying drivers of violations.
“I have not been as affected by the parking issues (at Forest Park) because I have a handicap sticker,” said Shanea Williams, 53, a nursing student.
“Still, with my sticker, it’s better for me to get here and park before 10 a.m. Some people do park their cars on the hash marks next to the accessible spots. They don’t realize or care that those spaces are for people who have chairs and other mobility devices to exit their vans.
“I actually said something to somebody. I asked them, ‘What if somebody came while you were here and couldn’t get in or out of their vehicle because of you parking there?’ When I was in my wheelchair, it made me aware of all the small things we take for granted that others do without a thought.”
Jason Young, Forest Park’s coordinator of marketing and communications, acknowledged that finding parking spaces has been more difficult since the beginning of summer semester.
“The contributing factors are, not only did we lose parking with construction, but STLCC Forest Park’s enrollment is up 7%, which is great,” Young said. “I would not call this a problem. A challenge? Yes. But not a problem. And we are not hiding from this challenge.”
Beyond the additional parking on Highlander Drive and Oakland Avenue, Ameren Missouri has given STLCC permission for students, faculty and staff to park on nearby lot.