New parking leaves private lots empty

Sept. 22, 2006
By JOSEPH M. DELEON News-Post Staff
jdeleon @ fredericknewspost . com

FREDERICK —Every year, a child waves a flashlight at cars driving on East Patrick Street to the Frederick Fairgrounds. A tiny voice calls out to passing cars, encouraging visitors to park across the street from The Great Frederick Fair.

That's what it was like for Damion Hurley, 42, when he was 8 years old. He recalled running between the street and the 100-space parking lot behind the family business — Hurley Hilt'n, a hotel.

As a kid, Mr. Hurley made his dad proud by directing cars to park as close together and straight as possible. Now he runs a 40-man construction crew in West Virginia.

"I didn't realize then how much it would mean to me later," he said Thursday. "To have that memory of working together with my dad as a unit, you can't replace that — in a way, it made me the man I am today."

Many residents supplement their income parking cars in empty lots near the fairgrounds, but two new fairground parking lots and temporary changes in traffic routes have left the private lots nearly empty.

Ralph E. Hurley, owner of Hurley Hilt'n, suspects the steady increase of prices at the fair over the years discourages people from coming as frequently as they used to.

"The fair used to be six days, now it's nine," he said. "People figure they'll just come tomorrow."

He's never seen so few people come to the fair. Tuesday and Wednesday, his lot sat three quarters empty.

The elder Mr. Hurley grew accustomed to making more than $2,500 every year, at $4 a car. This year, he will be surprised to make more than $800.

"I used to make more than that in the '70s, and we only charged 50 cents back then," he said.

He hopes to make up for lost business Friday and Saturday.

Rachel Jerrell, 30, used to take her 11-year-old daughter Summer to the fair about three times — this year, she could only afford one visit, which totaled about $80 with admission, food and rides.

"She rode two rides and played one game," said Ms. Jerrell, who works for Mr. Hurley. "I didn't even get on any rides with her because I didn't want to use a ticket."

Jenice Miller and Jennifer Trite run the shipping department at Carpel Video. They also charge visitors to the fair $5 per car to park in the 50-car lot.

Last year, they recalled leaving the lot with at least $100 each after about five hours of parking cars. Wednesday night, Ms. Trite only made $10.

"You know it's bad when you don't even have to count the spaces available," she said.

The only excitement came from a man who walked in with an ice chest. He wanted to pay $5 to sit in the lot and drink beer.

Both ladies agreed the carload night discouraged people from parking off fair grounds, but holding a demolition derby two nights in a row is worse.

"I don't see people coming for all that, people want entertainment, not crashing," Ms. Trite said.

Ms. Miller said a variety of music might help draw more people, especially a younger crowd. Her 8-year-old daughter Cheyanne would rather listen to R&B than country music.

"I guess the fair is hurting too because this is the first year it's been so dead," she said. "But, it really puts a bad impact on people trying to make extra money for their family."