By Victoria Clark, Director, Bitterroot College, University of Montana
The Bitterroot College University of Montana would like to thank N.J. Gilmore for the concerns she expressed in her “Where’s the parking?” letter to the editor (July 15, 2015) regarding parking once the College moves to its new location at the Hamilton School District’s Westview building. Bitterroot College appreciates such questions and would like to answer them to clarify any confusion that the community may have.
There are 53 paved spaces on-site for students, faculty, and staff members to use for parking – 16 improved spaces along the east side of the building (including 4 ADA-accessible spaces); 7 existing spaces adjacent to the Early Head Start facility; 6 existing spaces on the north side of the facility; and 24 new spaces in the former basketball court area. In addition, Bitterroot College has a written agreement with the National Guard to use 35 paved spaces along the west side of the National Guard Armory building. Thus, the College has provided all of the parking spots necessary to meet the City of Hamilton’s off-street parking requirements.
Bitterroot College wants to do all it can to ensure friendly community relations with the neighborhood and downtown community. Students, faculty, and staff members will receive written information which identifies the off-street parking options available to them on the Bitterroot College grounds and on the National Guard premises. This information will also clearly state that students should use the aforementioned spaces in lieu of parking in front of residences, at other businesses, or at Claudia Driscoll Park. In addition, the College recognizes the value that the tennis courts on the west side of the Westview building have to the community. There are no plans to turn those courts into a parking area. If, in the future, the space that the tennis courts occupy is needed for parking, Bitterroot College will work with the Hamilton School District and the City of Hamilton to ensure that new tennis courts are built in another location which the schools and community can enjoy.
All of the above information is stipulated in a written parking agreement which was signed by the City of Hamilton, Hamilton School District, and Bitterroot College University of Montana on May 19, 2015.
We encourage anyone with additional questions regarding Bitterroot College’s move to its new location to contact us at (406) 375-0100 or to visit our website at www.umt.edu/bitterroot-college/. We look forward to welcoming students and community members to our new location this fall!