CEO aware of parking woes

Osoyoos' mayor has received a written response from Interior Health's CEO about ongoing parking problems at Okanagan hospitals.

In October, Mayor Sue McKortoff submitted a letter to the head of Interior Health about insufficient parking at Kelowna General Hospital and Penticton Regional Hospital via a delegation request of former Osoyoos Mayor Tom Shields.

Osoyoos and other nearby community residents frequently need to access healthcare at the major hospital hubs up the valley, and it is not always easy.

"Residents have described driving around hospital neighbourhoods for 30 minutes or more trying to find parking and being late for appointments," reads McKortoff's letter.

During a council meeting on Tuesday, council shared the response from Interior Health CEO Susan Brown, who noted she is aware of the parking concerns.

"Interior Health is committed to ensuring health care services are accessible for our patients and our staff," reads Brown's letter.

Brown added that the Penticton Regional Hospital parkade is a shared parking area with "sufficient capacity for both clients, visitors, and staff."

"Late last year, a significant number of client/visitor stalls were reallocated to staff parking stalls. This reallocation has ensured interior Health staff are not on actuating list and has provided for future capacity that will be further allocated based on site demand."

According to Brown, Interior Health will be increasing enforcement to encourage people to park in the correct areas.

Brown acknowledged KGH is facing parking pressures, adding that Interior Health has opened two new staff parking areas on Pandosy Street "to relieve pressure on site."

"We also have a second staff parking area three blocks away and a shuttle which staff can use. Site leadership is working with out parking services ream to assist in indentifying and reminding staff not to park in those areas decimated to client/visitor parking."