Makeshift lot blots out greenery

One of the last bastions of sprawling grass and trees at the
campus known as “Under Construction Like Always” has
been consumed by its surrounding concrete metropolis.

The re-building of the UCLA hospital has led to the conversion
of the grassy area on the corner of Gayley and LeConte into a
temporary parking lot for construction workers.

Before this makeshift lot was created, UCLA was paying for
construction workers to park in a lot located near the Wadsworth
Veterans Hospital. According to Diana Bruggemann, Executive
Director of UCLA Local and Community Relations, workers were using
the parking lot even when they were not on duty, thus increasing
the tab for UCLA.

Brueggemann said the new lot “is saving UCLA over a
million dollars yearly.” Creating a new parking lot on UCLA’s
campus has allowed them to circumvent parking fees.

Michael O’Donnell the assistant vice chancellor of Capital
Programs-Health Sciences, said that it was in the construction
workers “contract to have parking within in a 1, 500 foot
radius” of the hospital.

O’Donnell said the trees that remain at the site are being
preserved.

The landscaping is scheduled to be returned to its natural state
by early 2004, a few months before the hospital is completed.

UCLA student and staff reactions to the changes were mixed in
sentiment.

“I was really disappointed,” said Ken Chong,
research technician at the Neuropsychiatric Institute,
“Hopefully they’ll turn it back to what it
was.”

Rachel Lilliard, first-year sociology student, felt that
although it was pleasant to have a park in such an urban area,
“if (the administrators) really needs it,” then it is
acceptable.

Some felt that the site was an inappropriate place for a parking
lot.

“They shouldn’t be asphalting a park for parking. I think
they could have found a better spot,” said Christopher Ghio,
second-year business economics major. He saw the change as being
another inconvenience that students have to face.

Noland Womack, a plumber participating in the construction,
complained about the new parking site.

“I am not even closer. I (work) on Westwood in the Science
building,” said Womak, who at the time was locked out of the
fenced parking lot.