It’s been an issue that has plagued EvCC students, faculty and employees for decades.  It’s a serious problem, and can be a major obstacle for some.  But the parking debacle isn’t going away anytime soon.

Sure, there are some resources and services available to assist and negotiate commoners through the challenges that the lack of parking at EvCC presents, but accessibility and accountability have been consistent topics of contention for longer than most EvCC students have even been alive.  If you’re anything like EvCC student Kendrick Varelas, you may have even missed class(es) due to the Groundhog’s Day-like parking fiasco.  “It doesn’t matter what time my first class is.  I get to school at around 7:15 a.m. simply for my own sanity,” Valeras said.   

To many, the only good part about this collective negative experience is that it’s only temporary, as most persevere through the burden and move forward with their lives or onto higher education elsewhere after their time at EvCC… But what if this predicament wasn’t temporary?  What if you had to deal with the same struggle every day you opened your eyes?

Meet Edith.  No, this isn’t her real name, because she doesn’t want to be the focus of negative attention, but it might be beneficial to take a minute to consider her story.

Edith has been a neighbor of EvCC for over a quarter century, and says she learned that her frustrations all too often fall on deaf ears, causing her to stop trying long ago.  

“I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not always easy to get along with and can be persistent,” she said, pausing momentarily, “but some of these disrespectful pieces of shit don’t have a damn clue.”  She was asked to talk through her normal day.

“Imagine waking up to someone parked out of your house with music so loud it makes the pictures on your walls shake… and they just sit there for I don’t know how long.  Or having to pick up cigarette butts in your yard before your dog can eat them.  Or having people block your driveway and give you the middle finger if you ask them to move. Or getting skipped because my garbage was blocked by someone who parked there (illegally, blocking visibility for disposal workers),” her emotions visible as the frustration welled tears in her eyes while she clenched her jaw tightly. “But I know most of them are good kids.  I try.  I really do try to not be angry.”    

After asking her what she thought a good solution was, Edith provided a suggestion that nearly every single individual on EvCC campus can agree with.  Edith didn’t ask for more respectful behavior.  She didn’t ask that students not speed down her street.  She didn’t ask for the noise ordinance to be more closely enforced, because “police in Everett have much more important things to do than to (ticket) kids going to school.”  She didn’t ask for anything that she rightfully should, that every single member of EvCC should be more considerate and respectful of when it comes to local and neighboring residences of the campus.

Edith simply, and so eloquently, stated her view on what would be the best solution for her to finally wake up in the mornings at her own accord, rather than by the bass of 12 inch subwoofers nestled in the back of a late nineties rice-burner.

Edith echoed the words of so many previous, current, and future EvCC attendees.  “They need more damn parking.”