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No end in sight for Canberra Hospital parking woes

By SARA SHINNICK
Construction of a multi storey car park and new Mental Health facility is set to make parking even more difficult for patients, staff and visitors to the Canberra Hospital.

Nurses are frustrated at the lack of parking.

One nurse said, “Evening shift staff have less area to park close to the hospital, let alone securely (with lights and security guard patrols). They have to get security to come and let them out of the boom gates. Ridiculous!”

Patients are finding it difficult to attend regular treatment sessions and many visitors give up on visiting friends and family because of parking problems. “One visitor drove around the car park for an hour and couldn’t get a park so she gave up and wrote a letter to her friend in hospital because it was too difficult to see her,” the nurse said. “It’s just crazy.”

Demolition of the three-storey visitors’ car park has been completed and construction is set to start on a new multi-storey carpark by the middle of this year.

Health Minister Katy Gallagher said last week (17 February 2010) that the nine-storey car park would provide at least 1880 new spaces.

New temporary parking would be provided during the construction of the new Mental Health Inpatient Unit.

A proposal outlining changes and street parking would be put to hospital staff and residents..

Ms Gallagher said, “Ideas and input from local residents are most welcome and we are calling for their support for the temporary arrangements to allow much needed new health facilities to progress more quickly.”

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