Each year during the holiday season, Carlsbad Forum employees are required to park outside of the Forum parking lot and take a shuttle in order to provide space for shoppers. This year, Forum employees have been required to park in the La Costa Canyon parking lot for 13 days out of the holiday season. Although it provides more parking for those who visit to shop, it serves as an inconvenience for employees.

“Under the Civic Center Act, the Forum, like many outside entities, has entered into an agreement with SDUHSD for the rental of facilities that are, at the time, not in use by district students,” said Director of Maintenance and Operations of SDUHSD Dan Love. Most popular rentals include parking lots, gyms, and athletic fields.

This change in parking for Forum employees is inconvenient, said some SDA students working at the Forum who live near SDA. “I feel that it’s annoying because LCC is kind of out of my way, but I understand that they need parking,” said one junior.

Because employees must park at LCC and take a shuttle to the Forum, employees must leave for work earlier than during the rest of the year. “My coworker used the shuttle and she said she had to leave 30 minutes earlier for work than usual,” the SDA student said.

Student parking at LCC has not been an issue, although less is available, said LCC Principal Bryan Marcus. “LCC does host a variety of tournaments, including the Speech and Debate Winter Classic, as well as an assortment of sporting events on the weekends; however we have enough parking spaces to accommodate all,” said Marcus.

LCC will not be earning any money from this agreement. “All facility rentals go to the SDUSHD for deferred maintenance, not only at LCC, but all the SDUHSD schools benefit,” said Marcus.
“Funds collected through our Use Policy go toward the maintenance and upkeep of District facilities and a portion toward replacement of site furniture and equipment that is impacted by outside use,” said Love.