Discussions

So we arrive in brandon to go into the hospital today. Pull in and head to the booth to pay for some parking. Well the machine isn’t working for visa transactions and will only take coins. Who the hell carries around that much change. But anyways ya the machine isn’t working properly. We get someone we know to get some change from a store and come pay for us thank god. As I look out the window yup here’s the ticket man going from vehicle to vehicle putting tickets on peoples windows. Like really. How the hell are you supposed to pay for parking when the damn machine isn’t even working right. We got lucky that we knew someone to come pay for ours just in the nick of time and we never got a ticket and just seeing that guy slamming tickets on everyone’s vehicles just pisses me off. Just a rant thanks!

I have been there for diagnostic testing twice in the last week and I honestly had just assumed since the gates were up that they were not having people pay for parking to avoid the high touch areas including the ticket booth...my bad. Glad I didn’t get a ticket!

it was easy to park and pay at the hospital - get your ticket at the entrance gate - keep ticket with you and pay at the outdoor "booth" when leaving. Then for a period of time renovations to the "booth" were underway or new pay machines were being installed which seemed to take forever so they put pay machines outside the "booth" - supposed to park your car, walk back to the pay machines, buy a timed ticket and walk back to your car and place the ticket on your dash.  
I remember an elderly lady being in tears one bitterly cold day in the lot - she had parked beside me and we were as far away from the ticket machine as we could possibly be - far northwest corner - she said she didn't think she had the stamina to go to the machine using her walker then come back to her car to put the ticket on the dash and then walk back to the hospital - anyway I helped her out - she gave me her car keys and I got the ticket for her and put it inside her car for her - the ticketing system was wonky when it was 25 below - when you are visiting a sick friend or relative or spouse or child a convoluted parking system is a huge stress that no one needs when you are already anxious and worried about someone in the hospital.  
 
I've been to the Manitoba Clinic several times over the years - simple system - park your car - inside the clinic are several ticket machines - enter your license plate # and buy time - keep ticket with you - no need to return to your car - if your appointment is delayed then just go back and buy more time and you can pay any way you want.  
 
So, why can't they do the same thing here - put the ticket machine in the hospital lobby - enter your license # and buy time - keep the ticket with you - seems like a simple enough system - less hassle, less stress.  
 
Anyway I agree with the original poster that the current system is just a huge frustration.

and still complaining???  
LOL

so that means u snooze u loose  
 
i noticed the other day when i was there numerous people usuing it as a spot to read the paper and eat lunch sad part was they used the handicap spots  
so they deserved a ticket either way  
 
not a fan of new system as it only takes coin or credit card wish they would switch back old way made more sense and was easy to navigate  
and back we go to parking hospital owns and polices 7 days a week 24 hrs a days  
Frederick street 500  
block Dennis street 600 block and 500 block of Russel st and will ticket when you dont expect it this also includes all those empty lots in those areas people like to leave their cars in

Who owns the parking lot.  
Is it the health region or is it another private firm?  
The parking system sucks.  
What is the use of the gates if they are not in use.  
In these trying times we shouldn't have to pay for hospital parking.  
But what i do is pull into the lot, next stop is ticket booth, get ticket then park.

well RHA owns lot i assume as well as all other parking in area  
 
i do same when i park stop at booth buy ticket park and then go in

I don't live anywhere near Brandon but attend the Pacer clinic at the hospital twice a year. I'm curious - what is the cost of a parking ticket?? And who is the payee of same?

???

Most likely for the Heart. You know the one that pumps in your chest. : )

You can park for free on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.

I don't like this system because you never know how long you long you are going to be be there and you have to predict it. and when you have an appointment you are more focused on the parking than what the doctor has to say.  
 
I know some people might say it not that expensive but when you are on a tight budget like me it can make a difference.  
 
And even going to the clinic it costs me more money to get a shot that can only be given by a nurse. And has to be documented in the system and etc..

When you have an appointment you are essentially a patient. You never know for sure if they may find some reason to admit you to the hospital, overnight or even a couple of days, for example. If that happens, then what are you supposed to do about your car? It seems to me that all of the parking is oriented toward visitors and not toward people who have appointments or attending the ER. What do you do with your car on the chance you find yourself being unexpectedly admitted?

If it's like in Wpg, no accompanying persons are allowed in with persons who have appointments. So people sitting in cars snoozing and reading the paper in their cars are merely waiting - outside of the hospital - for their loved ones to be done.  
 
The parking arrangement at Brandon Hospital sucks. I think the sign says park your car, buy your ticket, return to your car and place it on the dash and then carry on. Those of us that go there often now know to drive by the ticket booth, get the ticket, and then go park. Of course the parking authority is counting on the fact that you won't know how long you'll be, so you'll put in a little extra time and dime. The only good news is that there are lots of places to park.  
 
The parking lot gates are up. Unused, but still there . In the past when the gates were up it was because of technical difficulties and parking was gratis. Now it's not. I can see how some can be confused.  
 
On the other hand... parking at Wpg hospital is somewhat more expensive than in Brandon: $2.25 per half hour, or 4.50 an hour ! WoW!  
 
The parking lot was one-third full and half of those were occupied by people reading the paper, dozing, and... waiting for their loved ones..  
 
I wasn't allowed in the hospital door and I'd just driven 2.5 hrs to get there, so I felt a need to pee. And a desire for lunch. I walked over to a nearby McD but the restrooms were closed off. So I wandered next door to a Subway. Their washroom was also closed, but I got my sub, walked back to my car and ate it there.  
 
Nature was still calling. I went for a walk. I went downhill and before long found myself beside a muddy walking path next to the Red River. I looked around, stepped behind a tree and had my pee and thought to self "Is this what the world is coming to?"  
 
Edited by plane watcher, 2020-05-14 14:12:25

Many individuals in SW Manitoba and SE Sask. who have severe heart problems will either have a pacemaker or portable defibulator implanted in their chest with wires going to their heart. If the heart should start to beat irregular or stop the pacemaker or defibulator will automatically take steps to to fix the situation - which can mean a shock in some cases. The pacer clinic has a computer which is used to check the devices on a regular basis to make sure battery is fully charged, wires to heart have not been pulled out etc. Be thankful that Brandon has three Cardiologists, who look after a large volume of patients, thereby saving them the hassle of having to drive to Winnipeg or Regina. Does someone know how much the parking ticket is??

pace maker defib cost me about 12 bucks to park and a ticket is 40 in wpg 30 in brandon i think