LETTER – Nurses aren’t the only ones with parking problems at Royal Inland

Re: ROTHENBURGER: Interior Health obfuscates on parking issue

It’s not just nurses.  I think this is why IH is avoiding you. There are hundreds of other employees who have to show up and find parking in other areas as well.

I work two separate jobs at the hospital.  On top of that since having my son I work casual so that means I can’t even get a parking pass although some weeks I work 40 hours.  On any given day my shift can start at 7 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8, 9, 11, 1 or 3 p.m.  Then end eight hours later.

Trying to find parking anywhere downtown after 8 a.m. is impossible.  Even at that 30-minute walk the nurse is talking about, there is nothing there; you have to go even further.

On top of that I have a son who has to go to daycare.  Daycares don’t open until 7:30 a.m. for the most part so I don’t have the luxury of parking 30 minutes away.  It’s not possible.  I know I am not the only one.

If interior health does something for nurse parking they will have to do it for everyone.  There has already been a bad taste in everyone’s mouth when the nurses were given hazard pay and nobody else in the beginning of the pandemic. So they know that would send everyone over the edge.

I park in two- hour parking and when I’m working in plain clothing I’m constantly moving my car, skipping breaks and lunch.When I’m not working in plain clothing I get a city ticket and pay it.  I have no other choice.

I used to park in the paid parkade simply because I have no other choice when it is dark.

I have inquired with IH parking many times and they suggest I park in areas that are always full and not an option. They have never mentioned a safe parking program of any kind.

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