Second parkade for KGH?

Photo: City of Kelowna

A second parkade at, or near, Kelowna General Hospital is part of a long-term parking plan for the hospital.

It's part of an overall strategy linking parking, transportation and land use around the hospital area.

While updating council on the overall plan for the hospital area, long-range planning manager James Moore said a new parkade was the most "noteworthy" discussion point in terms of parking.

He says that comes from Interior Health's acknowledgement of a "significant shortfall of staff parking," of between 300 and 400 stalls.

"This has reinforced a need to pursue a long-term solution for hospital related off-street parking," said Moore.

There are two sites under consideration for a second parkade around the hospital.

"The first, and staff's clear preference, is on campus in some of the under-developed portions of the campus. Challenges are whether a parkade would displace a more vital medical use," he said.

"The second is the southwest side of Speer Street. Any parkade off campus would likely trigger a fully public rezoning process. Challenges include sensitivity to the adjoining neighbhourhood."

Moore says Interior Health has identified the need to address the staff shortfall and the need for a parkade as the best way to address that.

He added any decision to erect a parkade would be Interior Health's alone. He doesn't anticipate the city being a partner in any way.

Moore, meantime, says initiatives instituted out of the on-street parking plan adopted in 2017 have improved parking in, and around the hospital.

As for transportation, he says several improvements in the area are being planned to move vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and emergency vehicles more efficiently.

These include the addition of new sidewalks, a pedestrian-cycling connection, a new crosswalk, two right turn bays and two new traffic signals.