THUNDER BAY — Those plastic parking chip coins that visitors to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre have been using for the last eight years have been replaced by paper tickets.
The hospital decided to shift to tickets with bar codes after the vendor of the coin system announced it would no longer support the equipment. The change went into effect in the last few weeks.
But the hospital expects that this will result in less inconvenience for visitors.
"There were lots of issues with the coins, from the amount of coins the machines could hold — they could easily run out — but with the paper, they can hold up to 4,000 passes in there. So when it gets down to 2,000, security is advised and we top it up," said hospital vice-president and chief financial officer Peter Myllymaa.
Similar to the old system, for the next several weeks upon leaving the hospital drivers must present the ticket at the pay machine in the building, pay the fee that's displayed, and return with the validated ticket to the machine at the parking lot exit.
But Myllymaa said that within a month, visitors will also have the option of paying right in the parking lot by tapping their credit or debit cards.
Paying with cash will remain possible only inside the hospital, where the tap option will also be offered.
Myllymaa said he doesn't expect visitors will have much trouble adjusting to the new system.
"I'm hoping it's seamless. For those people who go to the airport ... it's very similar to that. You press the button, you get the paper. I think there's been some who've had some questions about how this works, but you press the button there and security can help you out at the gate."
