Homewood High School upperclassmen initially struggled to obtain parking passes after recent construction on Samford’s campus diminished the amount of student parking and forced the administration to find alternative solutions.
Construction and a record-breaking freshman enrollment in need of parking spots forced Samford’s decision to reclaim its parking beside and near their soccer stadium.
Two days before school began, HHS was informed that students would no longer be able to park there. The closing of the lot prevented about 60 students from receiving a parking pass.
“It was a perfect storm,” said Dr. Joel Henneke, HHS principal. “This was the only year I couldn’t take the news because our two largest classes are juniors and seniors.”
Student parking in past years has been competitive, but upperclassmen who registered for parking just five minutes late were being denied passes. Junior Jaelynn Ward went to pick up a parking pass at the school, but was turned away.
“They told me I submitted the form too late, so I couldn’t have a spot,” Ward said.
This adversity thrown at the school put administration into a difficult situation.
The school administration sent an email to students and parents who were affected by the parking shortage. The sudden change evoked backlash and complaints from parents over commuting arrangements.
“You know, I don’t have all the answers, but school starts in three days,” Henneke said. “I need to put this out there.”
Henneke acknowledged that the sudden change would cause conflict for students and their families.
Over the few days leading up to the start of school, HHS administration worked hard to find alternative parking options for students and had to get creative.
“Well, I can look at my faculty, staff parking and how much I can absorb from the original Samford parking,” Henneke said.
Students without parking started to receive extra passes left over in the Yellow Lot.
This process consisted of rearranging students around different lots to accommodate everybody. However, even with all the extra parking spots given out, about 30 students were still left without a parking pass.
After weighing the alternatives, the school decided the Samford intramural field on S. Lakeshore Drive was the best option. Samford agreed to the plan, and the lot effectively provided the rest of the upperclassman with parking.
Students who park in the intramural lot walk down S. Lakeshore Drive to and from the school each day.
“The parking itself is really easy, it’s just the walk that’s annoying,” said junior Savannah Jones. “You’re either walking next to the cars or next to the trees.”
In order to ensure safety for students parking on S. Lakeshore, administrators have introduced solutions.
“In the mornings and afternoons, we’ll have a police officer down there supervising,” Henneke said. “Hopefully, the police presence will help people to be a bit more mindful of their speed in general.”
While not the most convenient, all eligible upperclassmen at HHS have been provided with some form of parking at the school.
