To the Editor,
Re: Land swap paves way for hospital parkade, March 10.
By providing more parking in the hospital area we continue to cater to the extremely expensive car-centric ways created half a century ago.
Last year more than $100,000 was spent on creating a Transportation Master Plan. While the plan has many inadequacies its goal is clear: transition us away from the single occupancy motor vehicle and into sustainable transportation modalities and planning.
Creating more parking places only caters to our existing and expensive dependence, robbing passengers from the transit system – one that now has frequent service to the hospital from both the north and south. Ironically, depending on cars also makes us more ill, necessitating yet more medical facilities.
Like all transitions, this one will be very challenging. Yet other cities have been surprised by the very positive response when a sincere effort has been made to that transition. When will this city get serious about making Nanaimo more sustainable and affordable?
Ian GartshoreNanaimo
