Sudbury hospital wants public input on parking changes

Health Sciences North is looking at making changes to how patients park at the hospital.

A survey is underway to seek public input.

A spokesperson for the hospital said one idea under review would be a parking service where patients can pull up to the emergency room and get themselves or a family member inside quickly.

“The way that would work — and this is all very preliminary, it’s just a proposal at this point — is when you pull up to the emergency department, someone would actually take your keys and park your vehicle for you, then come back and give you back your keys,” Dan Lessard said.

“Then, when you are discharged from the [emergency department], you would actually go to your car and you would go on your way.”

Lessard said when people arrive at the hospital to go to the emergency department, there’s typically a lot of urgency to get inside quickly.

“You might have a situation where someone doesn’t feel comfortable dropping someone off at the [emergency department] and then going to find parking,” he said.

Lessard said if the service is put in place, it’s not known yet whether or not patients would pay for it.

He said that’s one question the hospital is asking patients as part of the survey.

Another option for parking is to make the lot bigger, Lessard said.

To give input, Lessard said people can contact the communications department at Health Sciences North.