Tennis club to DHB: You’re parking mad to cut courts
Sport lovers, hospital staff and mental health patients among those against carpark plan
Astoush has broken out over plans to close a squash and tennis club at Waikato Hospital and replace it with parking and a gymnasium. Waikato District Health Board began consulting with the Hospital Squash and Tennis Racquets Club in April last year over closure.
The DHB said it believed 1000 staff would use a gym but, at a cost of $300,000, the idea was parked.
Next the DHB said it intended to repurpose the tennis court, which doubles as a netball court, into desperately-needed staff car parks.
The idea went down like a lead balloon with club members, about 150 staff, friends, family — including children — and mental health patients.
“They want to pave paradise and put up a parking lot,” club member Richard Johnston said.
Waikato DHB facilities and business
executive director Chris Cardwell said the DHB could not continue providing access to the courts.
“Unfortunately, the DHB is not in the position, nor is there a legal obligation, to provide monetary compensation to the Squash Club.”
Johnston and club president Sylvia Manning wrote to the board saying that replacing a sports facility with a carpark was inconsistent with DHB policy. It drew the board’s attention to obligations it has for the wellbeing and fitness of employees. But the board never saw the letter. Last month the DHB’s Medical Officer of Health Dr Richard Vipond asked interim chief executive Derek Wright to reconsider.
“In public health we believe in encouraging public and active transport over building ever more parking spaces.”
The club, founded and maintained by volunteers for 40 years, reluctantly
In public health we believe in encouraging public and active transport over building ever more parking spaces. Dr Richard Vipond, Waikato Hospital DHB’s Medical Officer of Health
agreed to vacate the courts by the end of May.
At its monthly meeting in March the board heard it would cost $15,000 to turn the tennis court into car parks, and the DHB would seek an external investor to develop and operate a potential gym.
The Waikato Senior Medical Staff Association has also joined the protest. In a letter to management from Dr Alison Jackson, the doctors said repurposing the courts with 40 car parks was short-sighted and amounted to destruction of DHB assets.
The DHB has two parking buildings with 2500 parks available to staff, as well as the 6000 visitors each day to Waikato Hospital.
Board member Mary Anne Gill said staff should be encouraged to use, where they can, public transport. She wanted the DHB to work closely with Waikato Regional Council to provide alternatives to driving to work.
Cardwell told the Herald the tennis courts were being converted to badly needed parking.
“Our parking is under severe pressure. Often visitors can’t find a park in our current parking buildings which are frequently full on peak days. We also have 200 staff on a waiting list to access parking.”