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VIU Students’ Union calls response to parking concerns ‘predatory’ and ‘aggressive’

Nov 23, 2017 | 3:26 PM

NANAIMO — A lack of communication is creating more tension around the longstanding issue of parking at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus.

The Vancouver Island University Students’ Union issued a statement this week claiming the institution’s response to a parking shortage is lacking. Avery Bonner, director of external relations for the VIUSU, said after a long period of no contact at all, the university launched a survey as part of an updated transportation demand study.

The survey contains three questions, asking students how they would be influenced by various changes to parking fees.

“It’s not being received very well. It’s boxing in students, giving them three questions…It’s been aggressive, has given students no option and there’s been no communication,” Bonner told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Another survey question asked how students would feel about paying for a subsidized bus pass.

Bonner said the Union currently sells discounted bus passes to students, with the roughly $500,000 raised every year supporting critical programming. He said they were not consulted in any way about the potential impact eliminating those sales would have.

Bonner described the university’s approach to fees as “predatory…This is just another thing that is making post-secondary education less accessible.”

He also raised concerns with a strategy in VIU’s 50-year master plan calling for the elimination of 50 per cent of the parking inventory, noting spots have already been removed to allow for construction around campus. “We’re always going to need enough parking spaces to accommodate students from those smaller communities. That’s what VIU is for, a regional institution to provide access to education in smaller communities in the mid-island.”

Richard Lewis, VIU’s director of facility services and campus development, said they hired a consultant when new concerns were raised at the beginning of this semester. However, he admitted there was a breakdown in communication.

“We probably could’ve contacted (the VIUSU) a little earlier, that’s our bad. We’re still gathering information at this point, we’re not at the point where we’ve got any predetermined outcomes or we’re making decisions. We’re purely information gathering right now,” Lewis said.

He said he “totally understands” the reaction to the survey questions and noted they likely did not come across in the right way. Lewis added they need to have more discussions with the Union about the subsidized bus pass option and its potential impact.

Lewis said face-to-face consultations are critical and more of those sessions are needed. He pointed to a series of “pop-up tents” and a town hall meeting planned around campus this week.

Ultimately, Lewis said the long term plan to reduce parking spaces is realistic. “We certainly recognize we are a regional institution and lots of people travel from great distance to come here and parking is a necessity in those scenarios. So the onus becomes ours to manage those needs and provide what our students need and also allow ourselves to grow.”

Bonner said while it’s “hard to say” what an acceptable solution would be at this point, an improved method for consulting with students needs to be found. “Find out what needs they have and find out how we can accommodate that. So far that hasn’t been happening.”

 

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi