Unused kiosk and barrier arms in parking garage Adriana Ruiz
No change is planned but option could keep outsiders from student spaces.
By Adriana Ruiz
aruiz@student.alamo.edu
The new parking garage at North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street was completed in spring 2014, but the barrier arms in the new and old garages are not in service, said Tim Rockey, dean of continuing education training workforce.
Rockey said district officials wanted to charge students $1 per use to park in the garage.
He said the barrier arms are built into the garage, but district decided not to pursue the charge because it would require the college to install a kiosk to control parking.
“District decided it wouldn’t be a good investment,” Rockey said. Even though students are not being charged to park in the garage, Rockey did not want to rule out the possibility for the future. “I don’t want to rule it out, but I don’t think it’s a priority right now,” he said.
According to information on the college website, the original idea was to charge students $1 per use in addition to the $25 student access fee that allows all students to park in any designated student parking lots.
Both garages have non-functioning, built-in barrier arms.
In the April 11 issue, The Ranger reported according to minute orders from the May 14, 2013, Building, Grounds and Sites Selection Committee, Kratos Public Safety and Security Solutions Inc. was awarded $823,381 for the purchase of “access control components” for the first garage and $480,755 for the Tobin garage.
Pamela Ansboury, associate vice chancellor of finance and fiscal services, said the equipment necessary to regulate the $1 per use is already built into the garage, but district has no interest in implementing the kiosks anytime soon.
Ansboury said it would not be fitting to expect students to pay $1 per use. “I think it’s more convenient without having to have the cars lined up and trying to put the dollar in.”
The Ranger also reported the barrier arms would not be removed because of security measures. “A possible future measure would involve students, faculty and staff to present their ACCD ID at the entrance to deter outsiders from using the garage,” Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said at that time.
Ansboury said Alamo Colleges has a parking agreement with a property company that gives permission to the surrounding clubs along Main Avenue to park in designated areas of the parking garages. Ansboury said the agreement allows club goers to park in “certain areas, during certain days at certain times,” and the rental fees they collect go toward paying for the garages.
David Mrizek, vice president of college services, said the Alamo Colleges have been working with the surrounding clubs for about 12 years, and a previous agreement was with Luther’s because the owners also own surrounding businesses.
Mrizek said Luther’s owners hired a security company to regulate parking in the garages during the weekend and evenings. He said the security company charges $1 per use to park there during evenings and the security company was in charge of keeping the parking garage clean. The $1 goes toward the clubs’ rental fee.
