Sheridan College is taking steps to improve parking for students with accessibility issues.
Last year, Sheridan had 19 accessible spots at the Trafalgar campus.
This year, they added five new spots that are closer to entrances. In total, the school now has 23 spots spread out in lots 1, 3 and 4 at Trafalgar.
Previously, students with an accessible sticker had problems finding spots because they were taken, and since other spots were further away from entrances, this made it difficult to get to class on time.
“I try to find the closet spot to the school. There’s a bunch of spots over on the side of the school that are rarely used. I like to go there but when they are full. I would normally have to find a spot in the lot and it’s in the back of the lot. So, it’s not ideal but I kind of go wherever I can really. But, thankfully, now they added the four new spots in the student lot so that gives me and other students who need them more options,” Jacob Calvert said.
With over 9,500 students taking classes at Sheridan it’s already difficult to find a spot if you’re able-bodied.
Andrew Lee-Gifkins works at the Trafalgar parking office.
“There was a definite need for more accessibility spots in the student parking lot and we were glad that Sheridan was able to put them in as soon as possible,” he said.
Another issue confronting students at the Trafalgar are the prices for parking passes.
Jason Avila, who uses an accessible permit, says: “We pay so much for tuition and then paying for a pass which is $500 for the year and $240 for a semester doesn’t help with anything just more money out of our pockets.”
If you have an accessible pass at the Davis or the Hazel McCallion campus, you don’t have to purchase a Sheridan permit. At Trafalgar, you do.
Lee-Gifkins said this is the case because each campus follows rules set out by the cities the campuses are located in. That means Sheridan has to abide to what the municipality dictates.
