Swap will see hospital parking woes worsen

The country’s largest nurses’ union has sought assurances Christchurch Hospital will not be ‘‘short-changed’’ as it looks set to trade away a car park used by nearly 300 staff.

Crown rebuild agency Otakaro Limited is negotiating with the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) to acquire its 267-space afternoon staff car park in exchange for a patch of the new Health Precinct.

Information obtained under the Official Information Act shows Otakaro wants the land to address design issues related to car parking at its $300 million metro sports facility.

Parking spaces around the hospital are dwindling as construction at nearby sites ramps up, with CDHB chief executive David Meates saying parking is a ‘‘real challenge’’ for staff and the public.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) organiser Christin Watson said the union wanted assurances the CDHB would not be ‘‘short-changed’’ in the deal.

NZNO represents about 4000 CDHB staff.

‘‘The assurances that we’ve sought from the CDHB are that obviously it ends up being a better option for staff and particularly that the security aspect of the parking options that are available for staff after hours are maintained.

‘‘It would be fair to say that the DHB has been very clear that they’ve understood – that’s their goal as well.

‘‘They can’t be short-changed on this,’’ Watson said.

Security was the number one focus for the union, alongside reliable parking for staff working ‘‘crazy hours’’, he said.

‘‘That feeds into the wider issue of making sure patients can actually get to the hospital,’’ Watson said.

Age Concern Canterbury chief executive Simon Templeton said parking at the hospital was an issue for older people.

‘‘If the staff car park goes then staff will be needing to find parking . . . which will push older people even further away,’’ Templeton said.

Other land could free up to create a better situation, he said.

‘‘Hopefully they are taking that into consideration in their decision on whether or not to sell it.’’

An Otakaro spokesman said the swap would not be necessary until 2019, but it is not clear exactly what land the CDHB will get in return.

Negotiations were ongoing for an exchange of health board land alongside the metro sports facility ‘‘along with two small sites on either side of Tuam St for a suitable piece of land within the Health Precinct’’.

The new pool and sports facility needed a range of parking options from disability parks near the entrance to parking for coaches carrying school students and sports teams.

Construction of the facility was expected to start next winter, with an opening date of 2020.

Meates said there were no changes to the status quo at the present time.

He acknowledged car parking was a ‘‘real challenge’’ for staff and patients trying to access health services.

‘‘This why Canterbury DHB is continuing to look at alternative parking options for staff and the public,’’ he said.

Hospital staff currently pay for spaces in a 450-space parking building, which had a wait-list of 300 people.

The start of work at the metro sports facility meant Balfour Tce, which runs through the centre of the site, and Horatio St were closed.