I would like to go on record agreeing with Herbert Spencer’s letter to the editor in The Surrey-North Delta Leader regarding the prohibitive parking fees both at Jim Pattison’s Medical Building and at Surrey Memorial Hospital (“No pay parking for medical visits,” Feb. 4).
In the past two-and-a-half years my sister, mother and partner have been in Surrey Memorial Hospital with terminal cancer.
Preceding their stays in the hospital there were many visits to have tests and to see various specialists at Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, as well as several trips to the emergency department, the lab and the cancer clinic for chemotherapy and to see their oncologists at Surrey Memorial. All these trips came with costly parking fees.
My mother was in the hospital for one month before she passed away and I was there every day. During that time my daughter received a parking ticket as she was 15 minutes over her time. The reason for being late was that her grandmother was dying.
My partner was in the hospital for three weeks before he passed away and I was there every day. To say the least, the parking fees put a great strain on my finances as well as that of other family members and friends.
I find it unconscionable that the fees are so high and that Imperial Parking has the audacity to profit from people’s misery.
Hopefully Surrey council will take steps to relieve the financial burden for the citizens of Surrey who through no fault of their own must receive their medical care at these facilities.
Irene Owens, Surrey
A healthy suggestion
Thanks to letter writer Mr. Herbert Spencer, who suggested that Surrey follow the lead of Delta and not have pay parking for medical visits.
I have followed his suggestion of emailing the mayor and I hope others will. Viewed objectively, it’s hard to believe that companies would profit from people going to see their doctor.
Ed Griffin