New parking at hospital part of redevelopment

Justyne Edgell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Although it came as a surprise to many hospital visitors, new parking now in place at the Uxbridge Hospital ensures “the well-being of all individuals utilizing the parking facilities.”

Earlier this month, the Uxbridge Hospital transitioned its front parking lot to be an entirely accessible lot. This requires all those without an accessibility permit to park in the southwest lot, opposite the Oak Tree Medical Building front doors.

The Hospital’s senior corporate communications specialist, Michelle Lee Hoy, says this change is a step forward in the redevelopment

efforts.

“New patient and visitor parking facilities have been created and assigned, marking one of the initial milestones in the hospital's redevelopment project, which is aimed at enhancing patient care and improving overall hospital facilities,” says Lee Hoy.

According to Lee Hoy, the new parking set up allows for “increased capacity … to accommodate the growing number of patients and visitors.” She says it will reduce congestion and ease access to the hospital premises, creating better accessibility to accommodate individuals with disabilities, as well as offer convenient drop-off points near the hospital entrance. There will also be a gated entry.

“We know changes like this can be difficult with a project as involved as this redevelopment as we work towards transforming the site,” says Lee Hoy. “We really appreciate everyone’s patience as we move towards building our new state-of-the-art hospital for our community.”

To enter the non-accessible lots, hospital patients and visitors can enter Campbell Drive and drive west, then turn into the third entrance on the right and enter the parking lot on the left. Patrons can then either walk through the Oak Tree Medical Building front doors, turn left at Pharmasave and right at the first hallway, then out the doors at the end which open to the front for the hospital, or walk around the south side of the Oak Tree Medical Building.

“Patient safety is our priority. In addition to expanding our accessibility parking to allow for those with mobility challenges to be closer to the hospital entrances, patients can still be dropped off at either the emergency department or main entrances prior to vehicles being parked in the new visitor lot.”

Parking fees as listed on the hospital website are as follows: minimum 30 minutes (up to daily maximum), $2. Daily maximum (24 hours from time of entry), $8.

More information on hospital parking can be found at oakvalleyhealth.ca/patients-and-visitors/coming-to-our-hospitals/parking-information/#parking-at-uxbridge-hospital