By Alexia Torres Camino

_{Pictures of Valley Fair Mall outside the parking garage and a look of the luxurious inside.  ^{Photo Credits: Alexia Torres}}

SAN JOSE, CALIF. – Westfield Valley Fair, a mall with a variety of everything including luxury with over 200 stores and restaurants, just announced that they will be enforcing the payment for parking on Feb. 8, 2022 due to certain “safety”concerns.

Here are the new hourly payment rules: The first two hours are free, beyond two hours is $1 each hour. ICON Theater customers will get validations for four hours of free parking. After the time limit is up, the $1 per hour will be charged.   

Not only customers will now have to pay for parking, but also employees. It will be $40 a month or $3 a day if employees wish to park at Valley Fair parking garages or at any rooftop levels (https://www.westfield.com/valleyfair/parking). This factor could lead to a lot of controversy.

Kieu-Giang Nguyen, a current Senior at Silver Creek High School, was willing to put her input on the situation. Nguyen states, “I think it’s unfair for employees because they have many things to worry about already, they need that money to pay for gas, living expenses, and their workplace now is forcing them to pay for a parking spot to go to work, which is ridiculous.”

Valley Fair released their incentive to enforce this act. Reports have said that this is to discourage people who do not shop at the mall who still park in the Valley Fair parking areas and to open more space for all shopping customers. The shopping center also says this will improve security due to parking areas now having gate controlled systems. Rogelie Faye Jinon, a Senior, says, “That is not a valid reason, to me they are honestly just doing it for more money, it’s self interest to benefit, an excuse to charge.”

Many people have different opinions on this new enforcement, many who do not agree. Sydney Lai, also a Senior, expresses her opinion on the matter “I honestly think it’s not fair to be paying for parking, I love Valley Fair mall but I do not want to be paying for parking everytime I go.” As multiple people express their complaints and worries, there is still yet to see how this enforcement follows through.