A partially buried three-storey parking lot planned for the Chicoutimi hospital

About fifty people attended the information and discussion meeting which took place in the basement of the former Christ-Roi church, located in downtown Chicoutimi, at 4:30 p.m. fulfilled during the meeting which lasted just over two hours.

This was the first public information meeting on the subject since a request for an exemption from the Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS) led to a mobilization of citizens who are concerned about the impact the project would have a view of the Saguenay and the Monts Valin in the area. The day before, the citizens’ committee had already met with the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center.

The petition launched in March now has more than 1,500 names, said Thursday Yves Laperrière, spokesperson for the citizens’ committee.

The CEO of the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center from the region, Julie Labbé, addressed the citizens before giving the floor to those responsible for the parking project, which is part of the project to expand the operating theater of the Chicoutimi hospital.

The development of the multi-storey parking lot is the first step in the development of the operating roomrecalled Luc Tremblay, director of logistics and technical services for the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center.

The project aims to make up for the loss of 630 parking spaces by the expansion project. the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center will also take the opportunity to bring boxes reserved for users closer to the hospital, in order to improve accessibility to the establishment for the aging population.

A parking lot as inconspicuous as possible

The director of the operating theater project, Jean Paquet, assured from the outset that the objective of the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center was to have least impact on the landscape and that the parking lot be as inconspicuous as possible.

The parking lot, which would have three levels, would be located southbound, next to rue Jacques-Cartier Est, near the boiler room. The structure would be built below and the ground floor would be partially buried, so that the second floor would be near ground level.

Take for granted that the highest part of the parking lot would reach substantially the windows of the boiler roomexplained Jean Paquet, showing the first sketches of the project received last week by the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center.

These images will be transmitted to the media on Friday, when the presence of cameras and the taking of photos were not authorized by the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center during the citizens’ meeting which journalists could attend.

The revegetation around the parking lot and the beautification of the structure remain to be determined, also specified Mr. Paquin. Natural ventilation of the structure is also considered. The construction of the parking lot should be finalized at the end of 2023, according to the forecasts of the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center.

The need for parking questioned

The presentation of the first sketches of the project by the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center was followed by a question period.

The need to build a parking lot, rather than relying on public transit, was questioned by participants.

Luc Tremblay clarified that the purpose of the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center was not to build concretebut that the number of hospital workers who do not live in Chicoutimi and the assessment of their needs did not rule out the construction of a multi-storey parking lot.

Of the 3,800 hospital workers, 2,100 employees do not live in Chicoutimi, he specified.

the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center wants to get involved in improving the ecomobility corridor and see the addition of incentive parking lots. It is clear that in the statistics, the users of incentive parking are not very highhe however regretted.

Josée Néron and Yves Laperrière on the advisory committee

An advisory committee was also formed during the citizen meeting. Yves Laperrière, spokesperson for the citizens’ committee, as well as the former mayor of Saguenay, Josée Néron, who is also part of the group, will sit on the advisory committee.

Ms. Néron also suggested during the meeting that the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center is turning to various programs in order, for example, to green the parking lot and prevent it from becoming a heat island.

Mr. Laperrière said he was satisfied with the discussions at the end of the meeting. We had a great meetinghe underlined from the outset, in an interview.

” We have seen preliminary plans, it is very preliminary. We see the desire to minimize the impact on the Saguenay and on the Valin mountains, which is good. We saw the implementation of the parking lot, so there at least we are able to work and think about improving all that. »

The work of the advisory committee will need to begin quickly, he stressed, as the next stages of the project draw near.

A consultation of the City on May 30

The public consultation conducted by the Borough of Chicoutimi, in connection with the request for an exemption from the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services centerwill take place on Monday, May 30 at 4 p.m. at City Hall, said the municipal councilor for the sector, Marc Bouchard.

The date was set on Wednesday, when the elected officials met the CIUSSSIntegrated university health and social services center on the project. A final decision was initially expected in May in this case.

The chosen one wanted to attend the meeting. It is my duty to be here to listen to what the citizens will have to say, what are the concerns of the citizens in relation to this projecthe pointed out, before the start of the meeting.