Construction Project Notices

Central Parkade phased opening

March 19, 2019

We’re happy to announce the first wave of staff and physicians will be welcomed to the new Central Parking structure starting Monday, April 15 at 6 a.m. Our thanks to everyone for your patience and cooperation as we work to improve the overall staff and visitor experience at our site. Parking and wayfinding are a very important part of the care we provide.

Staff, physicians and public will be moved into Central Parking in a phased approach. This allows us to ease into the transition and provides adequate time to adjust to any traffic flow or parking issues. It also allows us to complete work like painting and signage to prepare for re-designation, as some lots switch back from patient/visitor to staff/physician parking.

Watch your email to find out when you will be welcomed back to onsite parking. 

Phase I – Central Parking for public April 8, 2019

More than 1,000 public stalls on the Skyline (second level at grade) and Mountain levels (third level) in Central Parking will open on April 8, 2019.

Phase II – Staff and physicians start parking in Central Parking, South/Lot 3 and Lots 4 and 5 – April 15, 2019

Approximately 500 stalls will open to staff and physicians on the Prairie level (first level) in Central Parking on April 15. Staff and physicians will also move into South Parking, Lot 5 (formerly East Parking), and Lots 4 and 9 as these revert back from mixed lots to staff and physician parking only.  

U of C staff will all be consolidated in North/Lot 6 starting April 15.

Phase III – Staff and physician parking reassignments in other lots

Some staff and physicians will move into North/Lot 6 Parking, and Lot 8 on April 22. Some public parking will also be available in these lots with West/Lot 10 parking unchanged for public parking and staff/physicians, and North/Lot 6 reduced to one level on the ground floor for public.

After hours parking (after 5 p.m. weekend and holiday parking) will also become available on April 22).

Parkers who remain offsite and have been using the U of C Lot 10 (temporary offsite parking) will be transferred to the other temporary offsite lot just south of the ACH.

Full opening of Central Parking

Construction continues on the Chinook level (fourth level) of Central Parking and is scheduled to open to the public in fall 2019. At this point, all remaining parking re-assignments will be finalized including the moves of staff and physicians into West/Lot 10.

Improved wayfinding at FMC

The opening of Central Parking marks an important milestone in ongoing efforts to enhance wayfinding at FMC. In the coming weeks we will provide staff with wayfinding resources to help direct patients, families and visitors to the right place. In general, the message we want to communicate is ‘plan your trip in advance – know where to go when visiting FMC’:

• For McCaig Tower, use West parking
• For the University of Calgary medical clinics, use North Parking
• For all other buildings, use Central Parking  

We will update Insite and the external website with new parking and wayfinding maps to support this message and direct people to the appropriate lot based on their destination.

North Parking/Lot 6 Late Evening Access

When Central Parking opens and the Health Sciences Centre building resumes its usual door locking schedule, any parkers in North Parking/Lot 6 who work evening or night shifts will be provided with U of C card access. This will enable parkers to enter and leave the parkade through the plus 15 so they will not have to go outside in poor weather. We are very grateful for the U of C team’s collaboration and assistance in providing this service.

More information on this process and access cards will be provided nearer to the opening of Central Parking.

After 5 p.m. Weekend and Holiday Parking

We are pleased to announce that when Central Parking opens, staff parking after 5 p.m. on weeknights, and 24 hours on weekends and holidays, will be available in a choice of three new locations: Central Parking, West/Lot 10, and South/Lot 3. This will replace the current arrangement involving Lot 8. On weeknights, after hours ends at 4 a.m.

Lot 8 parkers will be provided with an evening permit to display if they choose any of the above parking options. All other parkers can simply display their usual permits. To get an after hours permit, please review the schedule coming soon from Parking Services with dates and times for permit pick up.

Urgent Access ("on call" spaces)

Urgent access stalls will remain onsite after Central Parking opens with slight modifications to their location. Urgent access stalls are provided for physicians or staff returning to the site to respond to a clinical emergency. The 18 stalls currently located in Lot 4 will be moved into Central Parking, close to the stairwell nearest the Emergency Department on April 15, when Central opens for staff/physicians. The urgent access stalls in West/Lot 10 will remain in their current location.

Wait list and Parking Lot Transfer List

Parking Services will create and monitor a new waitlist and transfer list program for the FMC site to better support shorter waits and increased availability.

Safe Walk Program

The Safe Walk Program through AHS Protective Services continues to available to all staff and physicians on site. Call 403-944-1152.

Permit Renewal

FMC Parking Services will consolidate Permit Renewal for FMC parkers into the reassignment phase. FMC parkers will continue to display their existing parking permit, despite the expiry date of March 2019 until a new permit has been issued. Parking Patrol and Enforcement will be aware of this.

Parking Services will be in touch with all parkers soon regarding their permit pick up arrangements.

Pulse of Parking Engagement Sessions

The FMC Parking Projects team will continue to host regular Pulse sessions in the Coombs/Auditorium theaters after Central Parking is opened. Staff and physicians are encouraged to attend.

Thank you again for your support, patience and understanding. For questions or comments please contact:

AHS Parking Services
Ph: 403-944-1014 I E: FMCParkingProjects@ahs.ca North Tower, Room 060

• This information was provided by Alberta Health Services