Here's another image.
This thing is taking forever to build. When can we expect them to start on the actual hospital?
As for the article, hospitals are underfunded in Ontario and parking is one way to make up the shortfall. I wouldn't want free parking because we don't want driving to become the default cheapest option, but that also means transit service should be greatly improved to make it viable. The new Civic will have decent transit, great transit if the City paints the Carling bus lanes and bonifies the transit service (which has actually been cut with New Ways to Bus). Riverside also has good service with a fantastic connection to the Transitway.
Hospitals could offer discounted parking to frequent flyer patients with cancer, dialysis or other illnesses who may not have the energy to take transit or other modes.
I personally go to the hospital close to a dozen times a year. If it's Riverside, I sometimes take transit, but other times drive if the weather's bad or I'm in a time crunch. I tried going to the Civic without my car a couple times, but the crappy bus service drove me back to the car pretty quickly.
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