VCU may have another parking problem. But this time it’s not about too much or too little space in the parking decks. Instead it concerns the Ackell Residence Center students who park their vehicles on the streets in the Carver neighborhood.
Some of these students seem to like parking in the street rather than using their free decals. Just walking down Clay Street in the Carver neighborhood, more then ten cars can be counted with decals hanging in the windows.
Patricia Meade, a Carver resident who lives on Clay Street, said the streets have been taken over by students, but she understands they have to park somewhere.
“I find more decals on the streets. I wonder why if you have a paid for decal,” Meade said, “why are you parking on the street?”
Parking decals are assigned to all students living in Ackell Residence Center, the on-campus West Broad Street Student Apartments, whether or not they own cars, said Jane Firer, the complex manager for the Office of Residential Life and Housing. Their decals are good for the West Broad Street Deck at 1111 W. Broad St.
Alex Nelson, a sophomore studying forensic-science who lives in Ackell, said he uses the parking deck assigned to him to park his car.
“I’m assigned to the fifth and sixth floor of the Broad Street Parking Deck,” Nelson said. “I like it because it’s close. I don’t know why students are parking on the streets, maybe to park closer.”
Firer said students with decals who parked in the Carver neighborhood are taking the limited spaces available for Carver residents.
“I think it’s tough,” Firer said. “On one hand, street parking is public parking, and on the other hand students with decals who are parking there are taking away parking from the Carver residents.”
VCU has made it a point to maintain positive relations with its surrounding neighbors. Carver residents are no exception, Firer said.
“If students are parking in the Carver area, we might remind them parking comes with living in Ackell,” she said. “Let’s be courteous to residents living in the Carver neighborhood.”