Windsor Regional Hospital is giving cancer patients another option for getting to treatment, but some residents and city officials say more needs to be done to address parking pressures around the hospital. The hospital announced Tuesday that cancer patients and their support persons can now park at its staff lot at 1591 Kildare Rd. and take a free shuttle to the Cancer Centre entrance at the Metropolitan Campus. The initiative is intended to provide another parking option while preserving spaces closest to the Cancer Centre for patients with mobility and accessibility needs. For Essex resident Marilyn Bailey, who travels to Windsor with her husband for his ongoing cancer treatment, finding a parking spot has become part of their treatment routine. She said they sometimes leave home shortly after 6 a.m. so her husband can get to the hospital for bloodwork and secure a parking space. “We have to get up extra early just to get in line to get a parking spot,” Marilyn said. Marilyn said she welcomes the new shuttle, adding the couple initially assumed a shuttle they saw at the hospital was available to cancer patients. “We thought that would be a perfect answer,” she said. Brandon Bailey, Windsor Regional Hospital’s vice-president of redevelopment, said the hospital understands the added stress parking can create for people already dealing with cancer treatment. “It’s something that pains us every day,” Bailey said. “We all have loved ones that have had cancer or had dealt with it and required treatment, and we absolutely sympathize.” He said the shuttle idea came directly from a patient after hospital officials learned patients would be willing to park farther away if transportation to the Cancer Centre was provided. “We’re doing what we can,” Bailey said. “Our resources and space is limited, but we’re trying to turn over any leaf that we can that can provide some relief for our patients.” Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO Kristin Kennedy said the hospital knows parking has been an issue for some patients. “We recognize that parking can be a source of stress at an already difficult time in a cancer patient’s journey,” Kennedy said in a statement. “While this solution will not eliminate all parking challenges, it is a meaningful step that provides more options for patients and helps improve access to the Cancer Centre.” But not everyone living near the hospital is convinced the shuttle will solve the broader parking and traffic problems. Kevin Morrison, who lives across the street from the Cancer Centre, said the neighbourhood already deals with congestion, honking, and vehicles searching for parking. “I doubt that that will alleviate the problem,” Morrison said. He questioned whether all patients would be willing to park farther away and wait for a shuttle, though he said the initiative is worth trying. Ward 4 Coun. Mark McKenzie said he has heard concerns about hospital parking from residents since before he was elected in 2022. McKenzie welcomed the new shuttle and said the city and hospital are discussing additional options, including potentially adding parking on both sides of Kildare Road and examining nearby streets such as Byng and Alsace. “We want to make sure that we’re getting residential input on that,” McKenzie said. He said he hopes additional parking options can be announced within the next few months. Windsor Regional Hospital says it is also working with the city on a potential second phase of the parking initiative in the fall. The hospital says its current sites are landlocked, limiting opportunities to significantly expand parking. Longer term, hospital officials say parking is being addressed as part of the new Fancey Family Hospital project. Brandon Bailey said parking capacity is expected to increase from about 1,700 spaces at the current facilities to approximately 3,400 at the new hospital, including about 700 spaces in a new parkade. The new hospital will also include a larger parking area dedicated to cancer patients and a patient-only parkade located close to key programs such as the Cancer Centre. “We’ve lived the pain with our patients, we understand very well, and we’re looking to rectify that going forward in the future,” Bailey said.
