MI Working to Improve Parking Situation

The Marine Institute is opening additional overflow parking at Nagles Hill with a shuttle service to the main campus beginning Jan 21

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Marine Institute has transformed over past five years. We added a new school, two new centres, eight new programs, new research initiatives; attracted new faculty and staff; and enrolled additional students. Clearly, it is an exciting time to be here. Because of this growth, demand for parking has increased. However, we have not had any increase in parking spaces. The result is that the Marine Institute cannot provide parking for all those wishing to park their vehicles. Currently all of the parking lots at the Marine Institute, including the overflow parking area at the golf driving range, are full for the entire day. Employees, students and visitors to the campus (both persons with parking permits and persons without permits) are being forced to park in no parking areas on campus and along the roadway else spend extensive periods waiting for a vacant parking space. The Engineering Technology Centre next door is experiencing similar problems and their employees and students are contributing to the congestion along Ridge Road. Further, the Metrobus strike has eliminated the urban transit system as an alternate to use of personal vehicles.

Marine Institute Action

The long-term solution to this problem would be a combination of additional parking at the Marine Institute campus and development of an efficient urban transport system to reduce dependence on personal vehicles. The Marine Institute will continue to work towards these solutions. We have reviewed a number of potential options available to address the current parking crisis and have determined that the best action, which the Institute can take at this time, will be to open an additional overflow parking area at Nagles Hill. This area is located about one-half kilometre away adjacent to our Nagles Hill Building on Mt Scio Road. We encourage you to use this overflow parking if you intend to be on campus for the full day. You will not require a permit to park in this area. This area can accommodate about 60 vehicles and, due to the distance and high traffic volume on the roadway, the Institute will provide a shuttle to and from the site at designated times beginning Jan. 21. Information will posted shortly regarding shuttle times.

Individual Action

We would ask all employees and students to consider what action they can take to help alleviate parking problems. This action might include:

Sharing a ride with your co-workers or fellow students.
Arranging to be dropped off or picked up.
Please be assured that we are looking at all options to help alleviate our present parking issues. In the meantime, we appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work together to improve our parking situation.

Glenn Blackwood
Executive Director