BOSTON -- Parking spaces around Fenway Park are more elusive than grand slam home runs.

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Anthony Everett Reports On Spaces

NewsCenter 5's Anthony Everett reported that disabled fans accustomed to valued handicap spaces on certain streets still have those spaces, and even a few more. But their old familar hunting grounds have changed, making Opening Day a new learning experience.

"Play Ball" may be the official chant on opening day, but "Where am I going to park?" was probably said more often Monday.

"I have a heart condition. There's a tank of oxygen in the back seat," one fan said.

If you're disabled, parking around Fenway Park has some new challenges.

"Last year, you could park behind the wall here in the handicap area. Late in the season, they eliminated those," fan Michael Adler said.

Lansdowne Street, which once offered as many as 18 spaces to disabled fans, has been cleared of all parking causing some concern and confusion for handicapped fans on the hunt for a spot.

"We've had some changes this year. Last year was a big transition year. We had a lot of parking on Lansdowne Street. They got moved because of homeland security concerns about the seats over the wall," Boston Disability Commission spokesman Stephen Spinetto said.

The city says it was safety and not the burgeoning cafe society that will soon take over Lansdowne that prompted the shuffling of disabled parking.

Yawkey Way now has the most handicapped spaces at Fenway, and Ipswich Street has also picked up seven more spaces for disabled fans. Together that's more than in the past. But one tip from a disabled fan from Arlington -- come early; hours before the game.

"It's tough for everybody, so if you know where the handicap spots are and give yourself enough time you'll get a spot," the fan said.

Once the sidewalk construction is finished on Lansdowne, Boston's Disability Commissioner said that he'll consider returning a few handicap spaces to the area.