PHOTO CREDIT: Hannah Charron
For the past 30 years, the Kingston Free Library has had six parking spots in the parking lot outside of the Gateway Apartments, but this year the University of Rhode Island attempted to take these spots back, causing tension between URI and the Library.
The Library, located on the corner of Upper College Road and Route 138, was given these spots in an agreement with URI in 1987. On Sep. 1, the University took these spots back for student parking.
Timothy Murphy, the president of the South Kingston Library Board of Trustees, said that he understands the challenges in finding available parking spots for students. However, the Library believes it is the University’s responsibility to find spots elsewhere, instead of taking spots from the Library.
In July, Murphy attended a meeting with the Library, town and URI to discuss the importance of these spots to the Library. The Library wrote to the president of URI as well as the state government to reverse the decision.
While URI agreed to give the Library four of the six spots back until June 30, 2022, the Library did not see this as a viable solution for the long term, according to Murphy.
Since then, there has been a growing public campaign supporting the Library. As a result of this, the University has come to a decision to give all six parking spots back to the Library until the end of the academic year. Murphy said that the Library will continue to work with URI to resolve this issue in the long term.
“The Library feels like they are in jeopardy because with a shortage of spots, patrons may stop coming to this library which means the Library’s future is unknown,” Murphy said. “There is almost no street parking on Upper College Road because of the construction, which took away some of the spots the Library could have used.”
The parking spots available on both sides of Route 138 are usually taken by commuting students who tend to park there all day long. Library patrons can park at the Kingston Congregational Church but have to walk across Route 138 in order to get there. The Library-goers include children and elderly individuals, who may find it difficult or dangerous to cross.
When the construction is finished, there will be a few spots on Upper College Road for the Library to use, but according to Murphy, this is not enough to meet the needs of the Library, as they have special programs, classes and resources that their patrons come to attend.
Behind the Library, there is a driveway with two spots, one being handicap parking and the other being a regular spot. As of right now, it is unclear if the new spots on the road will be designated for the Library or how many there will be.
“The six parking spots are very important to the University and the Library,” said Carlos Lopez Estrada, the director of legislative and government relations at URI.
With this in mind, it will be important for the two to work together to decide on an agreement both parties will be happy with.
“We are open to ideas and solutions,” Estrada said. “[We have to] think outside of the box as far as coming up with ideas.”
Interim Town Manager Theresa Murphy said that she is “happy that the University will retain these six spaces throughout the school year.”
However, what will happen in the future is unclear as of right now. According to her, the Church has been very accommodating in allowing library patrons to park there, and there may be some solutions to on-street parking involving limited time, two-hour parking signs in some spots.
These six parking spaces in Gateway Lot are valuable to different groups of people, and the hope for both groups is that a solution will be made to best suit the University of Rhode Island and the Kingston Free Library.