Has anyone seen the Walking Dead? I’ve seen snippets. Bits and pieces here and there and lately I just can’t help but draw some comparisons between the eerie stillness the Walking Dead is known for and say… Hunter Street. The irony is, in the Walking Dead universe, the eerie stillness only comes right before a hoard of zombies come over the hill, but on Hunter Street, there are no hoards, zombie or otherwise.
My sense of optimism is slowly fading. Mostly because I’m starting to feel like a bit of a fool every time I try and back the new developments in the city. I mean, how can I not when announcements such as the blow we were dealt this week come across my desk (news feed). It just seems like every positive development carries a flip side with it. A big ol’ but that keeps us from really getting behind the redevelopments. Don’t get me wrong I love big butts and I cannot lie but I’m not about that kind of but life. Take the new Honeysuckle campus for example. It’s a great addition to the city and something that is set to draw a lot of bright young minds into the epicentre of the city. But… where oh where are they meant to park? It was announced that a space built for 6500 students, (and yes it’s going to be built and designed for that exact purpose) will only include 12 parking spaces.
Oh sure, here we go again, another story about parking. But since none of the higher-ups seems to be listening, maybe it’s time we did something about it. I for one don’t intend on simply sitting back and/or setting my car on fire. Because it’s the principle of the thing, and it’s about accessibility! What’s the point of an amazing city if we have no way of getting there or staying there?
I saw someone on Facebook compare the possible fight for the 12 parking spaces to the Hunger Games, but I see it as more of a psychological experiment. The way you choose to approach the parking situation in the city I’m sure says a lot about the person you are. Are you the optimist who tries, tries and tries again hoping that today will be your day? Do you sit and wait in the parking lot, stubborn as all hell waiting for someone to leave? Do you boycott uni and the city altogether and go and live in a shack in Greece instead? Whatever your approach, you only have a 0.18 % chance of finding a park remotely close to campus. And for those of us who aren’t students, since the students will be taking up the few other parking spots that were ‘available’ to us, oh the places we’ll go (looking for a park).
Yes, the light rail. Yes, the (strange and complicated) bus system. Yes, the transport interchange. But actions speak louder than words. I am all for leaving the car at home, but only if backed up by a reliable, inclusive and functioning public transport system. The light rail won’t solve all our problems because I, we, you, me, need more. Either that or I’m currently taking applications for a Katniss Everdeen lookalike to train me in the subtle art of war. Please inquire within.
