Open letter to Campbell River Mirror, Mayor Adams and Council, Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital Board Chair Coun. Charlie Cornfield, MLA Claire Trevena.
After months of campaigning and petitioning,the people of Campbell River and Courtenay retained our regional hospitals,despite rigorous pressure by VIHA.
With the openings scheduled for spring 2017 looms another issue. That is the issue of parking. The Vancouver Island Health Authority plans to impose pay parking fees at the new sites, which in my view and the opinion of many others,is a hardship affecting the most vulnerable. Hospital employees should not have to pay to go to work. Their jobs are already stressful enough without an extra hardship. The nearby streets as well as the Yucalta Lodge parking lot are already flooded with cars, their owners seeking services provided at the hospital.
Parking fees do nothing to enhance services but add to the frustration of the patrons, and will add nothing towards relieving parking congestion.
The Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital Board has made and passed a motion to stand with all the involved communities in opposing parking fees at the hospitals.
We need to make our voices heard as well by contacting our mayor and council,and ask that a bylaw be passed prohibiting parking fees at our hospital. The councils of both Delta and Mission have done so. Let’s follow their example. (Ed. Note: Council will debate a parking fee ban on Dec. 12)
Dale Bradley
