Parking District Changes Again, But Problems Persist
The University Park City Council approved the addition of the 3600 block of McFarlin Boulevard to the city’s parking district Tuesday night, but questioned the efficacy of continuing to do so.
More than 50 percent of the block’s residents approved the move, according to public works director Bud Smallwood. The need for the change was hastened by the use of the block by SMU’s food service employees, he said. As the parking districts have grown around the campus, employees are parking further into the neighborhoods and walking to work.
“What we’re doing is inconveniencing our resident to accomodate SMU employees,” said Councilman Bob Clark.
“But they gotta park somewhere,” responded Mayor Dick Davis.
The question (as always) is immediacy. The employees could park at Mockingbird Station and take the free Pony Express shuttle to campus, Smallwood said, but few do so. Parking on campus costs money, something a worker making minimum wage or slightly higher is unlikely to spring for.
The dance will continue.
“We displace them from there, and the move somewhere else,” said police chief Gary Adams.
“This won’t end until [SMU] parks them on campus,” Clark said.
Wow, I’m amazed that someone on the Council had the nerve to point the blame back at SMU, which of course is where it belongs. Funny thing is, if you take a walk through almost any of SMU’s many parking garages, you’ll see that there is plenty of space. Why does SMU feel they have to charge students and employees alike to park in the garages they built? Because like everything else, they have no concern about their “neighbors” whatsoever.
Nice to hear Clark say something. Of course, he and Davis will still always vote the way the Community League (read, SMU big shots) tell them to, so it doesn’t really matter.
“‘But they gotta park somewhere,’ responded Mayor Dick Davis.”
We’re in the very best of hands.
haha. i think like 4 out of the 5 mayor and councilmembers are active SMU alumni.
No wonder everybody is afraid to run against him.
Finally. How dumb is that comment; “but they gotta park somewhere”. Must be a rocket engineer on the side. Nail on the head with the inconviencing of residents comment to appease SMU.