The student population has grown significantly within the last few years, leading to several challenges; one of the biggest is finding parking for every licensed-student.

The shortage of parking spaces remains a long-running issue on campus – according to Deborah Brown, bookstore manager, there are 732 student spaces. In comparison, there are roughly 1,350 upperclassmen enrolled, leaving a large amount of driving students without a parking space.

Junior Emma Hahn explains how the lack of spaces has been affecting her, “I can’t park there even though I have a car and its my only transportation to school; it’s not fair.”

The lack of space recently lead to a new challenge for school staff, students, and adjacent businesses.

Because of the lack of spaces, students have resorted to parking on the Flipside property on the southwest corner of Val Vista Drive and Queen Creek Road. Student resource officer, Jesse Allen, explains why this is an issue, “the Flip Side parking lot is private property. On the building themselves [are] two different versions of a sign that says ‘No Trespassing.’”

Junior Mercedes Reed explains that parking at Flipside is her only option, as it is for many students. “I had a cop ask me why I was parking there; he told me that I wasn’t allowed to park there,” explains Reed, “[but] I have no other choice because I’ll get towed at school.”

The makeshift student parking lot on the Flipside property has also brought along another issue: the risk of crossing the street without using the crosswalk. Before and after school, students pass up walking to the crosswalk and risk walking across Val Vista Drive and 156th Street to get over to the school. Legally, it is not considered jaywalking because there is a through street between the two nearest crosswalks. Students only need to yield to traffic to remain within the law.

“As long as they’re not making the cars stop for them, it’s not jaywalking,” states Allen.

However, it presents similar safety risks.

“The school’s biggest concern with you crossing there, is it’s not the safest move, and they’re still responsible for you and don’t want you to do it,” says Allen.

Hahn explains how walking across is easier for most who park in the Flipside vicinity, “I park at Jack in the Box, so it doesn’t make sense for me to park there and then walk all the way down to the crosswalk, across, and then all the way back to school; it’s so inconvenient for me.”

Perry administration has asked for crosswalks to be put in, but nothing has been done.

“The city has to put in the crosswalks in;” says Principal Dan Serrano, “they’ve come and they have done a survey and they don’t think we need them.”

As school enrollment increases each year, the student parking lot only seems to get smaller in comparison. The limited space leads to the question of what will happen in years to come.

Serrano further explains the issue, saying “we have 900 freshmen right now and I don’t know what we’re going to do in a couple of years; every parking spot is taken care of.”

Parking has proven itself as one of the biggest issues on campus, and it will surely only grow in significance in the coming years.