Snow Still Prevalent in Penn Manor Parking Spots

By Evan Shertzer

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Winter may almost be over, but the effects of big storms in the past weeks can still be felt in the Penn Manor parking lot. Even three weeks after a big snowstorm hit Lancaster, people still can’t park in their own spots.

Cade Murry, a senior at Penn Manor High School, is still waiting for his parking spot to be cleared.

One of the parking spots in PMHS Parking Lot that aren't cleared yet. Photo By Evan Shertzer

“I think it’s pathetic my spots not open since I pay $40 to park in it all year,” Murry said, “I don’t really care about parking in another spot, but they should still keep all the spots open.”

Recently a few students from the Ag department at Penn Manor took matters in to their own hands and plowed open a path on the sidewalk because it was plowed shut.

One other problem students encounter is how slippery it is on the parking deck.

Dan Short, who drives a rear-wheel drive sports car, said he has trouble on those snowy mornings coming to school.

“I only drive my car sometimes to school because I know I will have trouble,” Short said.

Snowy mornings are hard to predict, and for the Janitors and Dr Jason D’Amico, who’s in charge of the parking lot and passes at Penn Manor High School, it’s even harder to predict when to get here to start clearing the snow.

“Depending on when the snow arrives is when (the Janitors) get here,” said D’Amico, “Like Penndot.”

Mr. Dickenson, head of the Janitors at Penn Manor High School, said, “We get here depending on when the snow arrives. We have two guys at 4:30 a.m. or 5:00 a.m., and three guys arrive at 6:00 a.m. We also have one guy from 11:00 p.m. to 7 a.m.”

The Janitors are in charge of all the sidewalk clearing and stairs at Penn Manor. The Grounds Maintenance Crew clears the parking lots from snow.

With the amount of snow the Susquehanna Valley has been getting, there are certain things that are just inevitable.

“There’s no where else to push the snow,” Dickenson said, “So you’re going to lose a couple spots somewhere.”

“After last year’s snow, (the Janitors) have it all their shifts and clearing down to a science,” D’Amico said.

The recent snow storm caused a 2 hour delay on Monday for Penn Manor. Students were welcomed by ice covered parking spots and unploughed sidewalks. The previous week showed more favorable weather in the mid 60’s, which can mean only one thing.

Spring is right around the corner.