Foothills hospital adds 1,000 stalls for public in partially opened parkade

Two levels of a long-awaited parkade at the Foothills hospital have opened, adding 1,000 parking stalls for patients and visitors.

That may be welcome news for many, after months of delays that displaced hundreds of staff and made parking a struggle at the key Calgary medical centre.

Levels 2 and 3, which opened Monday, are designated for patients, visitors and other members of the public, Foothills Medical Centre site director Michael Suddes said.

Level 1, with 500 stalls reserved for staff and physicians, is set to open April 15.

Level 4 will open later this year and be available to patients, visitors and the public.

"What it means for patients and visitors is more parking and in better places for them, too," Suddes said.

'Many hundreds' of staff displaced

The newly built, $68-million parking garage was delayed opening by about six months due to construction issues. It was originally pitched to open ahead of schedule in fall 2018, but issues with the asphalt were discovered.

The delay displaced "many hundreds" of staff and physicians, Suddes said, who were directed to park off-site to accommodate parking for patients and visitors.

"Many of those people will return to the site," when the staff floor opens, he said.

The asphalt wasn't laid properly the first time, leading to an uneven surface that caused water to pool, Alberta Health Services said at the time.

The new centre parkade will have 2,000 parking stalls when done. It replaces the old 1,200-spot lot, as well as the other 800 spots lost due to the cancer centre construction.