VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Drivers will soon no longer be able to park at metres directly on 10th Avenue outside Vancouver General Hospital while cyclists will get new bike lanes following a vote by councillors.

In a 9-2 vote, council voted in favour of the $3-million 10th Ave Health Precinct Safety Improvements plan which would remove nearly all metered parking from five blocks of 10th Avenue between Cambie Street and Oak Street and install raised, one-way bike lanes on both sides of the road.

Councillor Melissa De Genova voted against the plan over concerns removing parking would make it harder for patients and visitors to access buildings.

“To take away a whole lane of parking for the most vulnerable people who use those parking spots either to take their loved ones to an appointment or to drive themselves,” De Genova says. “How many cancer patients bike to their appointments?”

The report to council says the plan would add 41 parking spaces, but condense them in certain areas.

A new 116-car parking lot on the corner of 10th Avenue and Ash Street would offset the lost road parking, according to the report, however De Genova says those with mobility issues will still have difficulty getting to the buildings.

“I think it’s mostly about having spaces in front of buildings,” she says. “I see major conflicts here. I see major congestion for people even trying to get to the hospital.”

The plan calls for 10 major actions: