Patrons of the new hospital in Courtenay will not be paying to park their vehicle.
At its April 18 meeting, Courtenay council unanimously adopted a bylaw amendment that prohibits pay parking at the new facility under construction next to North Island College.
The bylaw restricts pay parking in PA-3 and PA-4 zones. The former includes the college and the latter the hospital.
鈥淭he college has already started a pay parking process, which is likely grandfathered,鈥� said Mayor Larry Jangula, who hopes to discuss the situation with NIC. 鈥淭hey may reconsider but we can鈥檛 stop them now (from charging students).鈥�
Earlier this month, council heard a variety of opinions at a public hearing about the bylaw amendment.
鈥淭he message is very loud and clear from the public that they didn鈥檛 want it,鈥� Jangula said of pay parking at the hospital. 鈥淚 would say 95 per cent of the public do not want it鈥he whole idea behind this is we鈥檙e trying to cut down on some of the trauma and stress (of hospital patrons).鈥�
The NIC board of governors, which approved a motion last year to implement pay parking on campus, discussed the issue at its Thursday meeting.
鈥淧ay parking provides revenue to offset costs associated with parking operations and maintenance of the parking lot which were previously unfunded,鈥� a statement says. 鈥淭he revenues also offset costs associated with the implementation of bike storage areas as well as for the improvement of public transit on the campus.鈥�
Last fall, NIC president John Bowman issued an interim report with a plan to address concerns and suggestions from students and employees. He committed to provide a report by June 30 about the first year of pay parking operations on campus.
鈥淭he report will address any outstanding issues and suggestions regarding parking operations and services, as well as set out possible reductions to parking rates that may be appropriate, given the actual versus budgeted revenues generated for the completed fiscal year 2016/17.鈥�
The board is slated to receive the final report June 8.
Earlier this month, council heard a variety of opinions at a public hearing about the bylaw amendment.
鈥淭he message is very loud and clear from the public that they didn鈥檛 want it,鈥� Jangula said of pay parking at the hospital. 鈥淚 would say 95 per cent of the public do not want it鈥he whole idea behind this is we鈥檙e trying to cut down on some of the trauma and stress (of hospital patrons).鈥�
The NIC board of governors, which approved a motion last year to implement pay parking on campus, discussed the issue at its Thursday meeting.
鈥淧ay parking provides revenue to offset costs associated with parking operations and maintenance of the parking lot which were previously unfunded,鈥� a statement says. 鈥淭he revenues also offset costs associated with the implementation of bike storage areas as well as for the improvement of public transit on the campus.鈥�
Last fall, NIC president John Bowman issued an interim report with a plan to address concerns and suggestions from students and employees. He committed to provide a report by June 30 about the first year of pay parking operations on campus.
鈥淭he report will address any outstanding issues and suggestions regarding parking operations and services, as well as set out possible reductions to parking rates that may be appropriate, given the actual versus budgeted revenues generated for the completed fiscal year 2016/17.鈥�
The board is slated to receive the final report June 8.
