NIC parking woes likely to continue

Paving a former campground just blocks from North Idaho College will open 150 new parking spaces for students this fall, but with the new Health and Sciences Building tying up 200 other spots, finding a space to park will be just as difficult as ever.

The lack of parking at NIC is a perennial gripe for students and staff. With half as many parking spaces as students and no room on campus to add parking, the college has had to develop unique solutions.

Work began this week to transform the former Robin Hood RV Park on the corner of Lincoln Way and River Avenue into student parking. An old barber shop on the property was converted into the Shuttle Express Station, a place where students can watch the news, grab a snack and wait for a shuttle bus to deliver them to campus.

By mid-morning during the school year, most of the on-campus parking spots are full, said Mike Halpern, director of campus safety and support services. He advises students who start class mid-day to park in the new lot – or one of two nearby city-owned lots – and ride the shuttle.

Though students parking in the new lot must still purchase a $20 annual parking permit, Halpern said there’s always the option of free parking behind the Museum of North Idaho or at Memorial Field.

“They’re better off trying to get to one of those outside lots instead of circling like sharks,” Halpern said.

Every 15 minutes, the shuttle bus stops at each parking lot and makes five stops on campus.

Students and visitors can also park at any of 192 free parking spaces on the streets bordering campus. On most other streets in the Fort Grounds neighborhood, parking is limited to residents.

Visitors to NIC can park in the small lot at the Sherman Administration Building. Visitor parking passes are available inside the building or from Campus Safety at the River Building on River Avenue.

The college is dedicating some parking spaces in front of Lee-Kildow Hall and the Student Union Building for metered parking.

“We’ve always had a certain amount of complaints from people that just want to run into the bookstore,” Halpern said. “They can’t find a place to park and visitor parking is filled up.”

Parking at the metered spaces will cost $1.50 an hour.

Even with the options available, parking may be a challenge, said Bruce Gifford, NIC’s vice president for student services.

“It’s going to be an issue,” Gifford said. “There’s no doubt about it. We don’t have enough parking for the student enrollment we have.”