Get ready for paid parking at Hockey

[BringDeanBack]

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/10735799.htm

Article in today's Herald mentions the proposed parking ramp by old memorial stadium. It sure sounds like the people that use the shuttle will be getting charged to park there once the ramp is done. Enough is enough, we are paying enough the way it is to go to a hockey game.

[CoteauRinkRat]

That doesn't make any sense to me at all, pay to park several blocks away from the arena? I would pay to park in a ramp right next to the arena, but this idea is a joke.

[Siouxhockey78]

I am one of those fans that has to park several blocks away. Building a parking ramp by Old Memorial because you are already getting the shaft by parking that far away and getting shuttled and now they want you to pay for it. That is totally bull. You pretty mcuh are getting screwed twice by UND if you don't have a parking pass. I am sure they don't want the eye sore of a parking ramp right next to the arena but spend a little more money on the ramp and make it look fancy or make it look like the arena. They have all that land right north of the arena. Plenty of room for a ramp and it could also be used by the businesses there too.

[CoteauRinkRat]

I am one of those fans that has to park several blocks away. Building a parking ramp by Old Memorial because you are already getting the shaft by parking that far away and getting shuttled and now they want you to pay for it. That is totally bull. You pretty mcuh are getting screwed twice by UND if you don't have a parking pass. I am sure they don't want the eye sore of a parking ramp right next to the arena but spend a little more money on the ramp and make it look fancy or make it look like the arena. They have all that land right north of the arena. Plenty of room for a ramp and it could also be used by the businesses there too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly, this would help alleviate a lot of their parking problems already. I would gladly pay to park in a ramp closer to the arena.

[The Sicatoka]

I still say the place for a ramp is

- south of REA,

- north of the Memorial Union,

- west of the medical school, but

- east of the nursing building.

You could connect it by skyway to Med, REA, and the Union.

Yeah, there'd be some long skyways, but I know I'd pay to park in a ramp and walk a block or two indoors to the finest hockey facility on earth.

[WPoS]

if you guys play it right, you can figure a way out of paying altogether. The U charges like $8 to park each game...I haven't paid for parking but maybe 3 times in the past 15 years....if you know the system, you can figure a way around the payment (get in to the ramp prior to game charge and leave right after the game and whoosh! FREE PARKING!

on another note, welcome to eveyone else's hell for parking at collge games..

WPoS

[CoteauRinkRat]

if you guys play it right, you can figure a way out of paying altogether.  The U charges like $8 to park each game...I haven't paid for parking but maybe 3 times in the past 15 years....if you know the system, you can figure a way around the payment (get in to the ramp prior to game charge and leave right after the game and whoosh! FREE PARKING!

on another note, welcome to eveyone else's hell for parking at collge games..

WPoS

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We know there are ways to park without paying.

This is not something new for us.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

I suggest taking the shuttles from local bars. The one from Whitey's is free, not sure about the others. It is a fun way to get to the game.

[mksioux]

There will still be plenty of free parking within walking distance to REA. Everytime I've gone to a game at REA, I've parked in the medical school lot and it's always been free and there's always been plenty of spots. It's a bit of haul, especially in January, but it will still be a viable option if free parking is your biggest concern. Also, I believe the shuttles from the local bars are free.

I've lived in the Twin Cities for a few years now and I admit that it's kind of comforting to hear people in Grand Forks complain about parking/traffic, even though it's a hundred times better up there than it is down here. People down here just simply accept sitting in traffic half their life and paying whatever is asked for parking. The last time I went to a game at Mariucci, I think parking was $12 and it took me 20 minutes just to get out of the lot after the game.

[WPoS]

[siouxtatoo42]

[BinaIsGod]

I think people need to realize that this ramp isn't being built with regards to parking for Sioux hockey games. The ramp is being built to help solve parking problems for the students on campus. It has to be paid for, and if you want to park there, you will pay for it. You don't have to park there, you choose to...so stop bellyaching about something that is good for the school.

[BringDeanBack]

I think people need to realize that this ramp isn't being built with regards to parking for Sioux hockey games. The ramp is being built to help solve parking problems for the students on campus. It has to be paid for, and if you want to park there, you will pay for it. You don't have to park there, you choose to...so stop bellyaching about something that is good for the school.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. It will be an eyesore

2. It is in the wrong location to benefit students (too far away). The location behind Tabula's makes the most sense. It is closer to Gamble Hall, the library, and Merrifield, a few of the more populted buildings in my opinion.

3. Bina is god.

[The Sicatoka]

The ramp is being built to help solve parking problems for the students on campus.

Wouldn't parking closer to the center of campus (like my idea above, or behind the coffee shop) be better for campus?

[Mad Man]

Wouldn't parking closer to the center of campus (like my idea above, or behind the coffee shop) be better for campus?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They would just make it A zone I can't see how this is mainly for student parking. In the four years I went to college I can count on one hand the number of times I used that lot.

Seriously, if they plan on charging for event parking to help pay for the costs are there any proposed amounts? Would they be charging per vehicle in the lot or per person on the bus? If they plan to charge for parking for events it should be within short walking distance from events. There is all kinds of open space around REA.

[Cratter]

Call me crazy, but I don't see a parking problem on campus. Of course everything can be approved upon, but the only problem I see is parking close to campus. The New REA lot never seems to be overflowing. It seems a little far, but only in respect to other buildings and parking lots on campus, still easily within walking distance.

[Smoggy]

I think people need to realize that this ramp isn't being built with regards to parking for Sioux hockey games. The ramp is being built to help solve parking problems for the students on campus. It has to be paid for, and if you want to park there, you will pay for it. You don't have to park there, you choose to...so stop bellyaching about something that is good for the school.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right that it is mainly for the students. I'm guessing it'll be designated a special lot and the tag will cost more.

Behind Tabula would be better, but the ramp wouldn't be able to be as big IMO.

All my classes were on the east end of campus. You'd have to drive around for 10-15 minutes just to find a closer spot. If you didn't, you walked all the way from the old REA. No buildings to enter on the way eaither.

BTW, where the ramp might go is closer to the Union than the Tabula lot is. Not to mention that the Union is considered the hub/center of campus.

[Mad Man]

Call me crazy, but I don't see a parking problem on campus.  Of course everything can be approved upon, but the only problem I see is parking close to campus.  The New REA lot never seems to be overflowing.  It seems a little far, but only in respect to other buildings and parking lots on campus, still easily within walking distance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The only problem I saw when I was a student was the half empty A zone lots I walked by on my way to class from the student lots at the edge of campus.

[Cratter]

The reason they don't put it behind tabulas is because of the traffice/accessability issues.

[yepdude]

[fightingsioux4life]

I went to UND for 7 years (undergraduate and graduate school) and now work on campus. Parking was always a pain in the butt when I was a student, but with increases in enrollment it has gotten much, much worse. I now have the "high privilege" ("high" as in higher fees year after year) of an "A Zone" permit, but it's still very difficult to find a spot when you need one. I take advantage of the shuttles whenever I can, but there aren't enough buses to handle all the new students we've been adding to campus. Despite what certain "experts" think, there is not a surplus of parking spaces on campus, and it's only going to get worse if enrollment keeps going up. So I am in favor of building a parking ramp to help ease the burden.

That being said, I have a sneaking suspicion that the location of the ramp was not decided solely on the basis of the reasons announced. I think the idea of being able to charge people who already park in that area for hockey games probably had something to do with it. It's just too convenient to be a mere coincidence.

The next thing you know, REA management will try to take over the ramp during hockey games so they can rake in the cash for themselves. That would be the straw that broke the camel's back. I hope if they do charge people for parking for events on campus that the money goes to UND or to pay for the ramp, not REA. If it goes to pay for the ramp, I think more people would tolerate it.

Just my 2 cents.

[Cratter]

I went to UND for 7 years (undergraduate and graduate school) and now work on campus.  Parking was always a pain in the butt when I was a student, but with increases in enrollment it has gotten much, much worse.  I now have the "high privilege" ("high" as in higher fees year after year) of an "A Zone" permit, but it's still very difficult to find a spot when you need one.  I take advantage of the shuttles whenever I can, but there aren't enough buses to handle all the new students we've been adding to campus.  Despite what certain "experts" think, there is not a surplus of parking spaces on campus, and it's only going to get worse if enrollment keeps going up.  So I am in favor of building a parking ramp to help ease the burden.

That being said, I have a sneaking suspicion that the location of the ramp was not decided solely on the basis of the reasons announced.  I think the idea of being able to charge people who already park in that area for hockey games probably had something to do with it.  It's just too convenient to be a mere coincidence. 

The next thing you know, REA management will try to take over the ramp during hockey games so they can rake in the cash for themselves.   That would be the straw that broke the camel's back.  I hope if they do charge people for parking for events on campus that the money goes to UND or to pay for the ramp, not REA.  If it goes to pay for the ramp, I think more people would tolerate it.

Just my 2 cents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know what...I feel like arguing tonite, I should have been a lawyer, I get that alot There is not a "surplus of parking spots on campus according to the experts," Americans are lazy, anyone anytime can find a spot at the new REA parking lot. How is that a need for a parking ramp? Granted you are right there may be in the future for a ramp, but I personally think UND may be topping out of students on campus right now....wellness center will add parking? walk from the other side of the REA? Go to a big campus (D1-A) they will laugh at the distance UND folks complain about walking.

[BringDeanBack]

[CoteauRinkRat]

Go to a big campus (D1-A) they will laugh at the distance UND folks complain about walking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is exactly the problem, this isn't a DI school. I just find it amazing that you think there isn't a parking problem at UND. Sure you can park at the Ralph and walk to Odegaard hall, but that is a little bit out of the way. I could also park at the Alerus Center and that would be probably the same distance. Heck, Super Target has a big enough lot, maybe I'll just start parking there. Of course I'm joking with you, the parking ramp is long overdue. With the huge increase in students over the past couple of years and with the anticipation of adding to those numbers at a growing rate, parking will only become more of an issue.

[The Sicatoka]

(Just so you all know, your chains are being jerked.)

Why not build a monorail!

It could stop at some of the places CoteauRinkRat mentioned and more:

- SuperTarget's lot (PARKING!)

- The Al's lot (MORE PARKING!)

- CAS/Center for Innovation/UTechPark

- The Ralph

- The new parking ramp (Columbia at University, EVEN MORE PARKING!)

- The Union

- Johnstone/Fulton/Smith/Gamble Hall (you have to walk the skyway to Walsh)

- Wilkerson

and most importantly

- Whitey's

- The Red Pepper!

- Happy Harry's

PS - No way will I allow the monorail to have a stop at Twamley. Make 'em walk.