Physical Description
In Evergreen Colorado the North front of the Wulf Recreation Center (WRC) is separated from the South side of Evergreen High School by a 120 vehicle parking lot (see graphic descriptions below). The central lane in this parking lot provides access to all parking spaces. It is also a DE-facto fire lane because it provides the only fire and emergency first responder access to the front of the WRC and the entire South side of Evergreen High school. Olive Road borders the entire East side of Evergreen High School and terminates in a cul-de-sac at the East entrance of the WRC parking lot. While the curb on Olive Road was painted fire lane yellow from Buffalo Park road to the East entrance of Evergreen High School it was never painted along the remaining Southeast side of the High School to the WRC parking lot. Sufficient “NO Parking Fire Lane” signs were also never installed.
Event Description
When the High School is in session about 30 high school teacher vehicles occupy parking spaces in the WRC parking lot. Later arriving WRC patrons not only occupy all remaining spaces in the lot but also parked in the poorly designated but de-facto fire lane at the end of Olive Road. An event occurred frequently during May of 2018 at about 10:30 AM. Some 20 to 30 vehicles were parked on both sides of Olive Road leaving barely enough space for a Suburban type vehicle to squeeze through, and in my judgment certainly not enough space for high speed and larger fire trucks. The congestion on Olive Road continued until school closed.
On several Mondays and Wednesdays during May of 2018 at about 10:30 AM, while driving to the Wulf Recreation Center (WRC) I could barely maneuver my large Suburban vehicle between two lines of about 25 vehicles parked on both sides of Olive road and in the cul-de-sac circle. It was immediately clear to me that Olive road had been transformed into a one lane limited access parking lot that fire trucks would not be able to navigate with out collisions. At this time of day I was but one of more than hundreds of patrons (seniors, small children and babies adult patrons and WRC staff) in the building. There were also children, teachers, administrative and custodial staff in the nearby south side of Evergreen High School which could only be accessed by fire truck first responders by going into and halfway thru the WRC parking lot. There are no fire lanes providing exclusive access for first responders to the WRC or the South side of the Evergreen High School building. The center lane of the parking lot is therefore an unidentified but de-facto Fire Lane.
Being aware of the huge population of teachers,students and staff at risk in the High school with no fire lane at the South side of the building. I was personally at risk and aware of the seniors, toddlers, babies and adults at risk in the fully packed WRC. In my judgment, the lack of a properly designated fire lane on Olive Road and in the WRC parking lot together with the lack of public education about fire lane safety and building evacuation, was a public safety issue that had to be addressed immediately.
Thus began my efforts to warn Special District Officers of this public safety issue (Fire & Rescue), characterized by the lack of a painted curb on Olive Road, missing “Fire Lane No Parking” signs, and the lack of a painted fire Lane in the WRC parking lot with insufficient parking spaces.
