More Parking Troubles Coming for RIH

(Aired on February 10, 2010)

Two years ago when my wife and I had our first child, I used this space to bemoan the sorry state of parking at Royal Inland Hospital.  Now, as we are expecting our second child, I have to bring up the situation again.  This time, it's not the hospital itself I have a beef with.

City council moved yesterday to add parking meters to Third and Fourth Avenues, in the blocks closest to the hospital.  This was already a two-hour limit zone, but by-law officials themselves admitted it was a tough one to enforce, meaning many people parking there could rest a little easier if their hospital appointments went overtime.  Now, it will remain a two-hour zone, with regular metered rates, and by-law officers say they will have an easier time enforcing those rules.

I should also note that city staff have made it no secret that this is a revenue generator.  The 43 new meters will bring in about $28,000 to city coffers annually.

Normally, I wouldn't have a big problem with something like this, but this is a special case.  Royal Inland Hospital has quite possibly the worst parking situation of any property in the entire city.  Though Interior Health officials have pledged to make changes to address the problem, it's clear that making R.I.H. a regional health centre has led to far more demand for parking than was originally predicted.  Patients and visitors are forced to search for parking off-site, many of them using street-side spots on Third and Fourth.  To install meters there borders on predatory.

The city is already banking on a huge increase in revenue from parking thanks to a new high-tech enforcement method that will lead to far more tickets being issued.  It seems this is an area where the city could have called off the dogs - at least until Royal Inland has addressed its own problems.