The idea of a major parking area being unavailable for two years is a reality for the students of City High. 

Since the first week of the school parking lot closest to the tennis courts, also known as the “jock lot,” has been closed off for the upcoming construction on City High. The closure means the loss of around 70 spots. 

“With the current construction going on at City High, the upper lot is very crowded,” said Nathan Bradford ‘22. 

Sophomores and upperclassmen have always been allowed to park at City High, and only upperclassmen are allowed to park in the upper lots. Administrators have been patrolling the parking lots and checking the parking stickers multiple times a day this year to make sure the proper people are parking in the lots.

New construction was provided by the largest bond issued in the state of Iowa. The bond granted every school in the Iowa City Community School District an upgrade. City High has chosen to add a new cafeteria, a new wrestling room, new locker rooms, a new gymnasium, and central air conditioning throughout the school. Principal John Bacon believes that the changes are necessary to keep up with Liberty and West high schools.

“When you’re a three-high-school town, and you have people making decisions about where they want to be, I fundamentally believe we must have facility equity between the three buildings, otherwise, you’re at a significant disadvantage,” said Bacon. 

With an area of parking out of commission, many students have decided to park on the streets close to the school and in the lower lots. Students have been given the option to park at Bates Field. If cars are parked illegally in areas like crosswalks, lawns, or fire lanes, they will be towed. No cars have been towed this year, but staff are monitoring the parking lots and side streets that students are using for parking. 

“There are plenty of places to park down there [Bates Field]. It is not filling up in the way that I thought that it might,” said Mr. Bacon. 

Even with the possibility of parking at Bates Field and on the streets, students are still having trouble parking. Johanna Kopelman ‘21 has first hour open and arrives at school around 9:15, giving her 29 minutes before second hour starts to find a parking spot and get to class. On a typical day, Kopelman arrives at school, circling the lower lot and trying to find a spot. As she finds spots and circles back to park, the spots are snatched away by other students. One day, during one of her laps around the lot, she became trapped in the lot by oncoming cars and cars that were parked illegally in the lot. 

“I had to approach their car and tell them, ‘There’s nothing left and my only way out is if you move,’”  Kopelman said. 

Kopelman started to search the side streets and realized that second hour had started.

“I had to pull over on the side of the road and call my mom to have her excuse me for a second period until I could find a spot,” Kopelman said. 

After winter break, students from Elizabeth Tate High School will leave the old Hoover Elementary facility. That will release around 70 spots in the old Hoover parking lot.

Seniors who do not have first-period classes or who have to leave during the day and cannot find a spot to park will have a chance to claim a spot all their own. Assistant Principal Scott Jespersen has been working on a plan to hold a lottery for parking spots. Only seniors can participate in the lottery for parking spots. Seniors will be able to decorate their spots, and no one else will be able to park in that spot for the rest of the year. The administration is hoping to start the lottery after Homecoming week. Next year, the juniors will be able to participate in a lottery of their own.

“This is one idea that I think would promote a lot of buy-in from the senior class. A lot of the students that are late arrivals are our seniors,” Jespersen said. 

Bacon said that students are being very considerate and accommodating to the current situation. 

“The students are adjusting to this and I’m very proud of kids being flexible and making it work,” said Bacon. For Bacon, a John F. Kennedy quote comes to mind. “‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,’” he said. “Well, that applies to City.”