Free Parking?
I love the library. I visit several times a week, sometimes to drop off or pick up items, sometimes for a book club meeting, sometimes with my toddler so he can enjoy story time or the play area. Wausau has an awesome library, staff and interlibrary loan offerings.
The parking lot is what really puts a damper on the library visits. My understanding is that a drive-thru window is being constructed at the lower level, which will hopefully reduce the parking issues. In the mean time, I have grown frustrated at what appears to be overuse or unfair parking in the lot.
After receiving my first parking ticket (in all honesty, I was not parked in a legit spot and have sent in my ticket with payment), I have become even more disgruntled. This incident involved me circling the lot twice shortly after 5 pm on a Tuesday, then leaving to pick up my toddler from day-care instead with the intent to stop back at the library later. After returning to the library around 5:20 and circling the lot a few more times, I parked in front of the bike racks and ran inside with my son to return two books and pick up a DVD while my car was running. Right? No. But it is simply not practical for me to park in a lot across the street and cart my toddler over my 5-months pregnant belly through a busy street in frigid temperatures simply to return books. Or park in the lot below and hike up and down a hill. So, reasonable? Definitely. I came out of the library minutes later to find a ticket on my windshield (and one on the car parked illegally next to me).
This prompts some questions. Mainly, why is this lot constantly packed? It’s like this when I try going at different times also. Are these valid library patrons or are these people who work in an office nearby? Do they monitor the other cars parked there? The parking spots designated as 15-minute drop-off/pick-up spots were all full with engines off and nobody sitting in the cars. There’s a sign stating that the limit for parking in the lot is two hours. The person who ticketed me was not there nearly long enough to enforce either of these rules, only to ticket the short-term offenders. Is this fair? Will the drive-thru window option alleviate these problems?
Tom Neal said:
All I can say is, I was in the library this past week and there was a load of people there. It’s a very small parking lot and easily filled. Let’s hope the new lot below comes with an entrance and maybe even an elevator?
February 1st, 2008 at 9:07 am #
Barry Liss said:
Free parking sure aint free - in any sense. I cannot fathom Tom how you of all people would be willing to sacrifice the lower level for a patch of pavement. There’s no need for a parking lot there - it’s a transient whim…
Barry
February 1st, 2008 at 9:16 am #
Tom Neal said:
Hi Barry, you know me well enough to know I don’t like what’s been done aesthetically down there. that patch of hilly green could be a great place for a concert or love-in, but it’s a fait accompli, non? So, for the sake of the library’s patrons (particularly those with mobility concerns), be nice if they could enter conveniently from there and hitch a ride on a ‘vator.
February 1st, 2008 at 9:49 am #
Dino Corvino said:
I just watched a program on Boston’s big dig. In boston they made an attempt to go underground.
We could do that.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:24 am #
Tom Neal said:
You mean like rebels or fugitives? Sorry.
February 1st, 2008 at 11:03 am #
Jim Carlson said:
I’ve always dreamed of the Greater Wausau Underground Subway System…..
February 1st, 2008 at 11:37 am #
Barry Liss said:
I was hoping for a magnetic levitation monorail - above ground…
February 1st, 2008 at 11:43 am #
Dino Corvino said:
How about we just get a bus system that works?
February 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am #
dwestcott said:
How about car pooling…or walking? Park and ride?! The library could set up a remote parking lot say, by the farmer’s market area, and have scheduled transportation to and from the lots. My ultimate wish…parking spots for “parent’s with children only”. How many parents have struggled with several kids younger than 5 running about as they cross 1st street, books in one hand, backpacks in the other, heart racing…. Maybe the library could transform the frenzied lot into a “parents with children, handicapped, and senior citizens” parking only. That should get the blogs going…..
February 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pm #
liblady said:
When the drive thru window is completed, patrons will be able to return books there without getting out of their car. They will also be able to request books be held for them to be picked up and checked out at the window.
There are plans to construct a stairway on the north side of the library that will go from the lower parking lot to the upper lot. During the winter, using the sidewalk around the south end of the building might be easier than climbing up the hill.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:28 pm #
Dino Corvino said:
see, look there, that seems like an actual answer.
Though I love DWescott’s idea of a family lot. I totally dig it.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm #
Find Day Care said:
[…] Free Parking? […]
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 am #
Matthew said:
I Believe that Wausau is also planning on rebuilding the lot at the library so that it is slightly larger. Below is a map, and a fact sheet they put together for a Public Information Meeting.
http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/is/ccc/pdf/LibraryPkg.pdf
http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/is/ccc/pdf/LibraryPIMinfo.pdf
If you look at the PIM sheet they wanted to increase the parking spots on the top lot from 27 spaces to 41 spaces. I do not know what the status of this project is anymore and this information is from 10/06.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:06 am #
Barry Liss said:
Cursory gain, long term drain…
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm #
brian said:
So the parking ramp, which is just across the street, that has a walkway over the street out of the elements isn’t close enough? How lazy are the people in this town??????
Oh yeah, it costs a WHOLE quarter to park there.
Seriously, you should try going to a larger city once and see how much it costs to park and how close you’d get. Walking 2-3 blocks is nothing.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:11 pm #
ahavl658 said:
Brian,
I’m not entirely sure if you read this post or not. The woman who posted this is very pregnant and had a toddler with her while trying to navigate her way into the library. Yes, not crossing the street is part of it… but only part. You obviously have never been pregnant. Trying to walk long distances is difficult enough and then add a toddler into the mix. The reason us small town folk don’t go to a bigger city and try to get parking is because we don’t want to. Most of us live in a smaller town for the perks that come along with it. I don’t think you should criticize someone who clearly deserves a prime parking spot so she can easily come and go from the library without hassle (or parking tickets).
March 11th, 2008 at 12:50 pm #