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Planned lot forces schedule into flux

In an effort to meet the demand for more parking spaces, Parking and Transportation Services has drawn up a plan that will temporarily turn one of the Cullen fields used by students into a parking lot.

The plan, announced Feb. 21, will provide an estimated 300 parking spots while construction begins on a parking garage across from Hofheinz Pavilion at Cullen and Holman.

The plan, developed in coordination with Campus Recreation and Facilities Planning, aims to alleviate the parking situation — but students who use the fields to participate in intramural sports will be affected.

David McBride, supervisor of intramural sports, says that the flag football, soccer and ultimate Frisbee teams will be affected. All softball games for the season will now be played on Sunday afternoons.

Parking and Transportation is attempting to minimize the impact of the plan by installing lighting on an existing field, but intramural sports will still need to do some rescheduling.

Intramural softball player Francisco Carranza is upset about the rescheduling and fears this is only the beginning.

“I bet they are going to keep the temporary parking lot and just move the sports,” Carranza said.

Business junior Andres Loperena said he is definitely in favor of the new parking garage and the plan to alleviate parking woes.

“I think it’s going to be great for the school, it will make parking less of a hassle,” he said.

Jonas Chin, university services program coordinator, said the lot is definitely temporary.

“We have no plans of keeping the temporary parking lot longer than we need it…we’re installing field lights that the sports teams will use after we have removed the parking lot,” Chin said.

In response to the plan, a group of students created a Facebook page to voice their opinion on the matter. When reached for comment, they were unwilling to give an interview.

7 Comments

  • We do need more parking lots but I don't think it is a good idea to get rid of one of the intrameral fields. The students use those fields. Why get rid of something students use? Find somewhere else to put a lot. Also Parking will still be a hassle and they will most likely keep the "temporary lots" long term.

  • Maybe if students were more open to the idea of carpooling or taking the Metro, the university wouldn't need to focus so much on providing parking spaces when other concerns regarding academics are much more important.

    • We need more spots. There are about 3 parking passes for every parking spot. Carpooling and riding metro won't fix that

  • For those who read this: the lot isn't temporary and nor is Jonas Chin telling you the faithful truth. Straight-up, the students of the University of Houston should explore exactly what's taking place behind the scenes of operations. It seems money has gone missing and then found after Elwyn Lee was asked to step down into a lower position. This idiot destroyed our student life. Then this character Melissa Rockwell thinks she owns the campus.

  • For those who read this: the lot isn't temporary and nor is Jonas Chin telling you the faithful truth. Straight-up, the students of the University of Houston should explore exactly what's taking place behind the scenes of operations. It seems money has gone missing and then found after Elwyn Lee was asked to step down into a lower position. This idiot destroyed our student life. Then this character Melissa Rockwell thinks she owns the campus.

    • Please visit this site: http://www.uh.edu/af/committees/tpac_min.htm

      This is the webpage link to what the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee has discussed in the past and currently discussing in regards to parking at UH. On the page you'll find the projected parking plan, quarterly reports and information about the parking and transportation process. This committee is comprised of faculty, staff and students.

      I hope that Cougars will visit the site and contact committee members for suggestions.

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