CON:

When the new parking policy for Brookfield Central was released over the summer, many were upset. In previous years, the parking at Brookfield Central had been running on a first-come-first served system, where those who bought parking passes the soonest were allowed to choose where to have their spot for a semester (front, side or back) and were then assigned a random numbered spot. Anyone who bought parking passes after the start of a semester were able to choose from the rest of the available spots.

At the beginning of this year however, the system was changed so that anyone who had a parking pass could park wherever they wanted, as long as it wasn’t in a staff or visitor designated spot. This new system has multiple downfalls, the first being that there is never a guarantee you will find a spot. Because there are no assigned spots, where one parks changes everyday, and any available spots fill up incredibly quick.

This is very unforgiving for students who live far away, are running a bit late, or have SPO, as spots in the morning fill up at around 7:35, and after that it becomes near impossible to find an open area to park and still get into school in time. Because of this, students who live far away have to wake up earlier just to find parking.

Another con that comes with the new policy is that it costs the same price as in previous year: $100 per semester. This is incredibly inconvenient for those students who have trouble getting to school, as they are paying for parking that they might not be able to find.

PRO:

The new Brookfield Central parking policy came under early fire by students and some staff due to the added inconvenience in their morning lives. That being said, I have a dissenting opinion. The new parking policy is very beneficial to all students; especially seniors.

First off you have the ability to move your parking spot. Last year, I had a horrible parking spot and was always getting stuck behind the busses. Now I don’t have to deal with that, I can go wherever I want. Some days you may get a bad spot, but the next day you can change that.

Additionally, when coming back from SPO, some students have claimed they can’t find spots, which is just not true. When coming back from my SPO there are always an abundance of spots in the front parking lot, for those students who want the convenience of easy entrance. T

There are also an abundance of parking spots in the back for those students who want to take the long walk. Lastly, the new parking policy allows students to have more choices and the ability to choose what they want. The parking policy adds convenience and choice to our everyday lives. In the real world, we most likely will not have assigned parking spots; this is just another way Brookfield Central is preparing us for the real world.