Dirt parking now replaces Lot 8

Alexis Antoniadis / Roundup

A temporary dirt lot, located near the Child Development Center, has been open since April 11 and is being used as the new student overflow parking lot.

The temporary lot was created due to the closure of parking lot 8, according to Larry Kraus Associative Vice President of Administrator Services. Lot 8 will remain closed until mid-August.

The dirt parking lot is estimated to have space for 70 to 80 cars, in comparison to parking lot 8, which held over 100 spaces.

Kraus said that the decision to open up the dirt lot was meant to ease students when finals approach.

“I am not parking over there, they must think I’m crazy,” said Heather Ramirez who drives a 2010 Scion tC.

Ramirez explained that she just bought a new car and doesn’t think it should be parked in a dirt lot.

“That’s shit,” said Ramirez. “I didn’t pay for this parking pass to park my new car in dirt.”

The parking lots are under construction because Pierce is attempting to reduce electricity costs. They are being installed with a new electricity system called photovoltaics.

“Photovoltaics is a way of generating electricity through solar power, and using renewable resources,” said Kraus. “It’s very green.”

Pierce is not the first campus to take a greener approach. Many other community colleges are now on board for a greener campus, according to Kraus.

Nathan Tahiry, a 19-year-old business major, said he liked the idea of having a greener campus and hopes that having a new photovoltaic system will enable the school to offer more classes.

“I would rather have less parking, then less classes,” said Tahiry. “Just get to school earlier to find parking.” aantoniadis.roundupnews@gmail.com