One hundred and seventy-five more parking spaces are now available to healthcare workers on Halifax’s peninsula.
Parking at all hospitals and healthcare facilities across the province became free of charge May 1 but a lot of staff have difficulty finding a spot, with many who still have to pay.
Brendan Elliott, spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health, says as of Tuesday they are freeing up spaces for staff only.
“When you combine the VG parking lot and Summer Street parkade, these are spots that we’ve been watching closely over the last three weeks since free parking came in, to see whether or not they’re being utilized,” says Elliott.
How it works
The Summer Street parkade has available spaces for staff in the top two levels only.
Elliott says, you drive in, show your ID to the parking attendant who gives you a ticket to put in the machine on your way out.
“Once those spots are full, we have other off-site locations- the Garrison Grounds and College Street,” says Elliott.
If staff park in any spots that are for patients and visitors, the fee for that will be capped at $14.50, no matter how long you park there.
The cap had been removed when parking became free to deter people from parking where they shouldn’t.
Not enough
Even with the 175 new spaces, it still leaves them enormously short and how to satisfy everyone, Elliott says, is the million-dollar question.
“When we looked at the numbers, we determined that our peak time…sort of the busiest time of day…we would have a need for 6,200 parking spaces in and around the two hospital buildings,” adds Elliott.
He says that includes staff, visitors, patients and physicians.
The extra spaces is not a lot, but all they can do at this point while they look for more.
“We’re not going to be able to find 4,000,” notes Elliott.
Keep looking
At this point, nothing is off the table when trying to solve the parking issue, which has been an issue for a long time.
“We’re looking at everything. We’ve turned over every rock and we’re exploring every option that we think makes sense,” says Elliott.
He adds, they have a specific email for staff on the matter and have received about 600 emails that are filled with not only complaints but suggestions.
“Some of the things we’re looking at include taking over some parking lots that look like they may be available to us. We’ve garnered some spaces at Scotia Square and Purdy’s Wharf and shuttled people up to the hospital when the Garrison Grounds wasn’t available,” notes Elliott.
“[The new spaces are not] a done deal and we wipe our hands of it. This is our first step towards trying to find solutions that take some of that frustration and anxiety away from staff.”
Comments