Motorists arriving at Mills Memorial Hospital to find the limited parking spaces at its main entrance full are welcome to use a lower lot on the west side of the structure to avoid having to park on both sides of Haugland.
A directional ‘overflow parking’ sign has been at the entrance for years to the lower lot which also provides direct access to the regional psychiatric unit.
There’s been a noticeable increase in the number of vehicles parked along both sides of Haugland in front of the hospital in the past several years, a situation that’s drawn the attention of the city’s bylaw enforcement officer to ensure motorists aren’t contravening parking regulations.
“There may be some increase in visits to Mills Memorial Hospital for the new MRI services, which Northern Health estimates may add about 15-25 people per day to the site,” says Northern Health official Andrea Palmer.
“Any additional volume in clients or visitors may be due to outpatient services – which are not new; however, Mills Memorial does now host a full complement in surgical positions after many years of hard work in recruitment.”
Palmer says patients and visitors, as well as staffers, park in areas best suited for their needs.
“Some visitors may park on the street; that’s their choice,” she says, indicating some may not mind any additional walking time to the hospital’s entrance.
Others try to park as close as possible because of their physical abilities, Palmer added.
“I should add that staff are parking in that [lower] lot so they can free up parking elsewhere.”
Mills has also adopted a policy of clearing snow from its parking areas as soon as possible to avoid having parking spaces used as snow storage spots, Palmer says.