What is especially disturbing, said Amy Ma, co-chair of the central users' committee, is that the above-ground parking lot was constructed 30 years ago, and so there is no justification for charging such a high fee. In contrast, the MUHC is charging the same rate for its new underground parking lot that opened at the superhospital's Glen site in April, arguing that the higher fees are necessary to pay back a $266-million loan for the lot's construction.
"Recently, I was talking to a parent who had to bring her child to the newly opened external clinic of the Children's at 5100 de Maisonneuve," Ma said. "In addition to having to pay $25 for an allergy shot, she also had to pay $25 for
parking. The $25 for parking ... is just mind-boggling because it's not even a brand-new, multi-storied parking garage.