Parking Issues




To the Editor

I visited my orthopedist in the Healthtrax Building on Franklin Avenue yesterday for a post operative checkup, having had knee replacement surgery recently. The lot behind their building was completely full and I parked in a spot a bit further away, behind Lord and Taylors. I failed to note the sign which indicted no parking was allowed there from 7am to 9:30am, and promptly at 9:19 am I received a ticket. But what are people supposed to do when they need to see their doctor and there is nowhere else to park? Playing “gotcha” with residents or visitors is poor public relations, in my opinion.

I am given to understand that parking signs in these lots have been there for decades, unchanged. Certainly since long before Saks 5th Ave was there. I don’t know the reason why there signs prohibit parking in this enormous empty lot at that hour. It has been suggested it’s because they don’t want car poolers, or office workers from across the street there all day. This is easily solved by making some parking areas 2 hour parking zones, or shortening the prohibited parking time to 7am to 8am.

It needs to be reconized that the area once occupied by Saks is now essentially a deical building full of doctors offices. Parking availability behind Healthrax alone in the morning is inadequate. There is a large and busy orthopedic practice in the building associated with Winthrop, our neighborhood hospital. Many people coming into the buidling are ill, elderly or post surgical, and cannot make marathon walks from elsewhere, even if a far away spot were located. Some use canes. Clearly more parking needs to be made available to the patients coming to that building and yes, some like myself, are arriving during the currently prohibited parking time.

I write this letter to ask that some of the no parking signs in the area behind Lord and Taylors, close to the Healthrax Building, be amended to allow more patients to park without fear of getting ticketed.

Leslie Dimmling



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