Most local drivers could attest that the parking situation in Uptown New Orleans is a precarious one. Even upon finding a parking spot in somewhat close proximity to one’s destination, there always stands the likelihood of a break-in or in some cases, the car not even being there at the end of the day.
Loyola provides on-campus parking to save students the troubles of hunting for nearby spaces in relatively safe areas. But with two recent incidences of vehicle theft occurring in the Freret Street Garage, it seems like parking on-campus is as much of a gamble as finding a spot on the streets.
As disheartening as this may be to on-campus parkers, it was inevitable something like this would occur. In the entrance of the Freret Street Garage stands a constantly empty guard booth, with no physical barriers to regulate entrance. Ditto for the West Road campus entrance. University Police are notoriously absent. Even during Mardi Gras, when the dorms are practically impenetrable, the only security measure taken to secure the Freret Street Garage is a plastic barrier obstructing one entrance. The other two are left wide open.
It seems like most of what parking permit holders are paying for is convenience, not necessarily safety. This convenience comes at a hefty price. It costs more than $300 for commuters to park on-campus for one school year and $400 for Loyola residents. With the start of a new semester quickly approaching, is paying for a parking permit even worth it?
UP should take cues from Residential Life to attain a similar level of security. Just like Res Life has desk assistants to regulate dorm traffic and gradually learn residents’ faces, perhaps UP could staff those empty guard booths for the same purpose. Becoming familiar with frequent parkers would increase the security level considerably.
The fact that the garages are wide-open also presents a major security problem. We understand the garages can’t be completely closed to the public, but at least fencing off the open parts of the Freret Street side of the garage would be a deterrent to would-be thieves.
And what about those security cameras in the Freret Street Garage? Are they even working?
It’s true there’s really no safe place to park in New Orleans-car thieves don’t discriminate. While what goes on in the streets is out of Loyola’s hands, we can control much of what happens on campus. UP needs to make changes to drive away potential thieves and make pricey parking a more valuable option.
