Langley man’s petition for free hospital ER parking is growing

LANGLEY (NEWS 1130) — A petition that aims to eliminate parking fees for emergency patients at Langley Memorial Hospital appears to be gaining steam.

Council in the Township of Langley moved to take the petition to the Fraser Health Authority, the group that controls the parking lots.

RELATED: Langley man starts petition against paid hospital parking

Gary Hee started the petition, saying that patients heading in for emergency care already have enough to worry about without having to run back and forth to feed the parking meter.

“A lot of people have paid penalties and they’re angry about it, and they have no resource to complain. I realize this thing is not a small deal, it is a very big deal with many people,” he says.

“I realized this was a critical situation out here, and it has to be looked at so that people who do use the ER are not being price gouged, because of increased prices, or taken advantage of because of the $48 fine for over parking maybe for two minutes or so.”

So far the petition has gathered over 3,000 signatures, and more are coming in every day. He says people are eager to sign it.

“I’m very glad that the community is coming together for this whole petition. I’m really pleased with the people who are willing to help,” he says.

Hee was aiming to have 2,500 signatures by his 75th birthday in July, and is happy to have already surpassed his goal.