The new hospital parking building, a joint venture between the Christchurch City Council, Canterbury Health and a private developer, opens to the public Friday 5 March from 7.00am. For the first month of operation (until 6 April) the parking building will be free of charge, to encourage drivers to start using it.

There are 350 parking spaces in the new building, with vehicle access to the building off Antigua Street, and pedestrian access off Tuam and Antigua Streets. Access to the hospital is also assisted by a direct lift from the parking building to the tunnel entrance.

"We’ve been acutely aware for sometime of the pressure on parking spaces near the hospital," says Mayor Garry Moore. "The opening of the parking building marks the Christchurch City Council’s contribution to health in the city. It’ll make it so much easier for visitors to see their friends and loved ones at the hospital now, if they know they can get a park right across the road."

CEO Canterbury Health Richard Webb also believes the increased car parking will help reduce stress on patients and visitors to the hospital. "In addition to the car parks available in the new building approximately 100 parks will be available shortly adjacent to the hospital. As from April 6, the first twenty minutes parking in these spaces will be free so those who are making a quick visit to the hospital will not incur any parking charges. After this time, parking will be at $1.20 an hour. However, anyone who receives a parking infringement notice can take this into Christchurch Hospital and pay only the amount they needed to have fed the meter. Once again, this should help reduce stress for visitors and patients."

Thursday 4 March 1999, 1.00pm to 1.30pm

Mayor Garry Moore and CEO Canterbury Health, Richard Webb will officially open the new building.

The new parking building has many positives for the hospital, and the public:

There is a significant increase in carparks available for visitors to the hospital

The parking building has been erected at no cost to Canterbury Health, leaving its limited capital available for other purposes

Additional parking is able to cater for some further expansion of the hospital

Parking pressure in the area is also eased dramatically for the users of Hagley Park, the Botanic Gardens and the Arts Centre

The hours of operation will be:

7:00am to 10:15pm Monday to Friday

9:00am to 8.45pm Saturday & Sunday

Parking charges from April are:

$1.00 per hour to a maximum of $6.00 per day (7am-10:30pm M-F, or 9am-9pm S/S).

Ownership structure:

building owned by Christchurch Hospital Parking Ltd (John Fairhall, private developer)

land owned by Canterbury Health Ltd

operated by Christchurch City Council under the terms of a 20 year lease (actually 19 yrs & 363 days)

building reverts to Canterbury Health ownership at the expiry of the lease period.

Building statistics:

350 parking spaces on a total of 9 ‘split’ level decks.

For further information:

Maurice Smith, Parking Operations Manager, Christchurch City Council

Phone 371-1738 or

Allanah James, Canterbury Health Communications Manager