Junior & Senior Student Parking Plan Revised
Jack Pegler ‘24
With the growth of GFA in the past few years and the increase in students driving and parking on campus, parking capacity at GFA has become an increasingly prevalent and controversial issue at school.
“We have more drivers than we’ve ever had before,” 12th grade dean Ward Abel said. “There just isn’t enough space for faculty and staff, seniors, and juniors to park.”
This issue is only exacerbated by the re-introduction of visiting parents, who park short-term on campus for various events—which was completely prohibited last year due to the pandemic.
Because of this, Valeria Ibarcena, 11th grade dean, and Abel have devised a plan in order to regulate the number of juniors who are allowed to park on campus throughout the school year. They are hopeful that this adaptation will provide sufficient space for the remaining juniors, seniors, and faculty and staff.
“The class is going to be divided in half essentially,” Abel said. “Half the juniors will be able to drive and park on campus for first semester, and the other half will be able to park second semester.”
While this may not be the most ideal situation for juniors, instituting parking restrictions and limitations was the only clear and sustainable option for Abel, Ibarcena, and the rest of the school.
Juniors who are not allowed to park on campus during a certain time of year can also seek out alternative public parking options outside of GFA’s campus, such as the lot at Green’s Farms train station, or Burying Hill Beach—both of which are walkable distances from campus.
