When Dominic Finocchi heard that the Baldwin-Whitehall School Board had voted to prohibit student parking next year, he said he instantly became upset.
"It's going to be ridiculous. I don't like to ride the bus and get up early," said Finocchi, 16, a Baldwin High School junior. "I'm really upset about it. I think they should have half of the parking lot for us to use and whoever gets there first should get their parking pass."
The school board earlier this month voted 9-0 to end student parking for about two to three years as part of a $60 million dollar project to renovate the district's five school buildings.
Beginning in August, the student parking lot will be used for bus loading and unloading. The current bus loading space will be a construction site.
"There aren't any other options," said John Frombach, the district's director of services. "The students just won't be able to drive to school because there won't be any space on the grounds for student parking."
They will also be prohibited from parking on borough streets near the school, Frombach said.
Students can take the school bus, or be dropped off by parents, he said. Those with special circumstances, like after-school jobs, may still be able to drive, he said.
"Kids can still have their parents drop them off," Frombach said. "We'll still have areas for that to happen."
Of the 1,666 students who attend the high school, about 200 drive on a daily basis, Frombach said. There are 4,376 students in the district.
"Because I'm a senior, it won't affect me much," said Jessica Dobos, 17, who drives to school. "But it's a privilege for people to be able to drive and the students won't be able to do that next year. A lot of them are stunned."
In addition to the renovations to the five school buildings, the renovation project includes reducing the swimming pool from eight lanes to six lanes. The gym, auditorium, cafeteria, media room and library will remain intact.
The project is expected to go out to bid sometime in August.
"Over the next three years the students' memories will be of hard hats and shovels," said board member Kevin Fischer, who voted in favor of the parking ban. "We're putting them through a lot with this construction and now we're taking away their parking."
