By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

Winthrop University Hospital will not be utilizing 250 parking spaces in Parking Field 6E, announced Mayor Peter Bee at the May 1st Board of Trustees meeting.

The mayor said the number of requested spaces was higher than the Garden City Police Department was comfortable with. The hospital is exploring possible parking agreements with private property owners such as Doubleday.

The hospital had offered the Village $5,000 to use the spaces for hospital employees from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday for one year while their parking lots are repaired. Trustees voted 5 to 2 at the April 17th Board meeting to ask the hospital for $12,500, or $50 a space. The hospital had agreed to the higher amount before ultimately deciding to look elsewhere.