Garden stompers are creating carpark woes

THE Hinchinbrook Shire Council and Townsville Hospital and Health Service are at loggerheads over parking spaces in front of Ingham Hospital.

The council, during its monthly meeting last week, voted unanimously to reject a request to remove its carparks on Mcilwraith Street in front of the hospital.

According to the minutes, Townsville council Health believe the parks pose a danger “to members of the public who climb through the gardens to gain access to the front entrance to the hospital”.

“Council is not inclined to consider an approach to remove carparking bays on Mcilwraith St immediately in front of hospital access ramps, to alleviate a potential accident/injury, or otherwise,” the resolution reads.

Speaking after the meeting, Hinchinbrook Mayor Ramon Jayo said the council was well aware of the risk of injury “because of the unlawful pedestrian activity”.

He said the council had offered to work with Townsville Hospital and Health Board to build a set of stairs to remedy the problem.

“However, the board is not in favour of stairs, which it believes would contravene current disability access legislation stating that if anything, a ramp would be required.”

Cr Jayo said the council was not prepared to consider installing a ramp.

He said given the area required to accommodate a lengthy ramp, the costs would be substantial and “significant intrusion would occur upon the footpath”. The council believed this would cause more problems than it solved.

THHS chief executive Kieran Keyes said Ingham Hospital had a large on-site and free public car park to the side of the facility off Miles Street.

“Some locals are choosing to park in the council carparks on Mcilwraith Street, climbing a barrier and walking through a garden to gain access to the hospital,” he said.

“If people are old, frail or sick we have some concerns they may injure themselves using this route to hospital.”

Mr Keyes said he would continue to talk to the council.

“We encourage the community to use the designated hospital car park for their safety,” he said.