Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 4/3/02 Section: Campus News

Students and San Jose residents marched up the steps of the Student Union Tuesday afternoon to protest the destruction of Bud Winter Field at a meeting in the Umunhum room. Kristopher Gainey/ Special to the Daily [Click to enlarge]

When folk artist Joni Mitchell famously sang, "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot," she might have foreshadowed the beliefs of the protestors at President Caret's Town Gown Forum meeting yesterday.

About 10 people from student organizations and community members showed up to Caret's forum to protest the development of an 800-space parking lot that will replace Bud Winter Field, located on Tenth and Alma streets, this summer.

The group, which calls itself the Save Bud Winter Field Coalition, has many members from organizations such as the Impact Party of Associated Students, Students for Justice, and neighborhood organizations around the field area.

According to President Caret, the field, which is owned by the university, is part of the university's ongoing process to fulfill the needs of commuting students and to clear up congestion problems.

Denise Olenak, an english major and Associate Students Impact Party member, said the development has been opposed by the city of San Jose.

"(Caret) has the right to do what he wants with it, but that doesn't necessarily make it right," she said.

She also said the park is used by the medium- and low-income neighborhoods as a comfortable area of greenery as well as university athletics such as soccer, rugby and track and field.

The group began its protest shortly before the meeting began at 4 p.m. and attempted to rally more students outside of the business tower.

Some of their placards read, "Be a good neighbor, Bob," and "Once it's paved, it's gone."

James Clark, a member of the Spartan Keyes Neighborhood Association, said students should not believe that this new parking lot would solve their transportation problems.

"Two and a half acres is a sea of asphalt," Clark said, referring to the park. "If you see an increase of students, then the pavement project is only temporary."

At the meeting, which took place in the Student Union's Umunhum room, the protesters, with their placards entered behind other seated university administrators.

"A day in the life of a university president," Caret said which was received by a quiet laugh from the audience.

Ric Abeyta, chief of police for UPD, said an emphasis in parking issues on campus continue to be an important part of the university agenda.

"To take a property we have and commit it to something is a serious decision for us," Abeyta said. "It may not be the option you want to hear."

Abeyta said if there were no solution by this year's end, there would be serious traffic gridlock on the main and south campus areas.

Some of the options the coalition for the field have presented are to push students to use public transportation, to build greater density parking lots that are multi-story and changing class schedules away from the bulk of traffic problems: morning classes.

Caret said he receives "nasty" e-mails from people wondering why the university doesn't do more to emphasize the use of rapid transit.

He said even with the knowledge of the Park and Ride, students still choose to park near campus.

"If I could build a parking lot in south campus tomorrow, I would do it," Caret said. "I empathize with the neighborhoods, but we need to serve (the university's) population."

Caret said he was originally against getting rid of any greenery the campus owned.

However, present circumstances made him consider the options for the university.

Abeyta emphasized that more trees would be put around the lot than presently located on the field.

Updates on the housing village, new campus kiosks and the new library were also presented at the meeting.

Caret, who was supposed to head the question and answer session, stayed afterward to discuss the issues with the coalition and administrators while Abeyta took questions from the crowd.

One member suggested an alternative proposal for the university to build a new park above the parking lot.

Clark said although the meeting went well, he had some doubts that the university administration was convinced by their efforts.

The coalition has scheduled a rally on Thursday on the Tower Hall lawn to bring more attention to the issue.

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