Another setback for hospital car parks
A Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) board member is furious with the Crown rebuild agency’s ‘‘ridiculous’’ project that absorbs much-needed hospital car parks.
O¯ ta¯ karo has claimed most of Oxford Tce between Christchurch Hospital and Montreal St for construction of a new riverside promenade as part of the two-kilometre Te Papa O¯ ta¯ karo/Avon River Precinct that runs all the way to Manchester St.
Most of the terrace has been cordoned off except for an eastbound lane that runs through the car parks next to the hospital.
The parks will be unavailable until at least the end of the year.
4000 patients, visitors and staff visit the hospital every day.
CDHB board member Andy Dickerson said O¯ ta¯karo had taken
72 ‘‘sorely needed’’ parks for work on the promenade, which was making a bad situation worse.
‘‘We had a very difficult situation with car parking already and this has complicated matters considerably.
‘‘I think the riverside promenade is grandiose and ridiculous.
‘‘I think O¯ ta¯ karo haven’t given any thought to the hospital and community.
‘‘Surely when you’re doing planning the hospital should be a number one consideration, surely.
‘‘The riverside promenade is a ludicrous project in my view and has just added to a horrible situation which is now intolerable.’’
Stuff talked to a number of hospital visitors who described the lack of parking as ‘‘frustrating’’.
Chris Heslop said he found a carpark about 400 metres away, but he was ‘‘lucky’’.
‘‘It’s a competition, isn’t it? It could be a lot better no question.’’
Fiona Zhang said it was a hassle: ‘‘It’s quite hard, sometimes very hard to find a park.’’
Dickerson said the parks along the river were ideal for patients and their families.
‘‘They were two-hour car parks, which were perfect for many visitors to the hospital – exactly what was needed. All of those have now gone.
The hospital has suffered from a lack of parking since its parking building was destroyed in the February 2011 earthquake.
Dickerson said O¯ ta¯ karo hadn’t considered the needs of hospital users.
‘‘I think the people who are planning have no concept of how large that hospital is. It is the busiest acute hospital in the country.
‘‘The hospital should be the most accessible site in the city, but instead it has become an obstacle course for patients, families and staff,’’ Dickerson said.
An O¯ ta¯karo spokesman disagreed. ‘‘Regular meetings are held with CDHB staff and other contractors to co-ordinate work in the area and to ensure that access to the hospital is maintained.
‘‘Construction of the Antigua to Montreal St section of the precinct was the last to commence to give CDHB more time to consider parking options.
‘‘The hospital provides a park and ride service for staff and patients and has recently outlined a timeline for the development of a parking building in the area.’’
CDHB chief executive David Meates said O¯ ta¯ karo had consulted with the board about the parks.
The Ministry of Health plans to build a parking building, likely on St Asaph St, between Hagley Ave and Antigua St, by 2020.