RICHMOND, Va. – Veterans have been frustrated by the lack of handicapped parking spaces at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center.
McGuire is undergoing major construction to build a three-story parking deck that Alexander Korzyk said has eliminated nearly all of the handicapped parking spaces.
“That’s totally wrong when you have 150, 200 cars in a line," Korzyk said.
Korzyk said its already bad enough to deal with bad knees and diabetes.
“It’s very frustrating,” he said. “My blood pressure goes up.”
For now veterans have to valet park or grab a spot on the grass or median.
“I got in line for the valet service and sat there for an hour and hardly moved,” said Korzyk. “I just couldn’t understand what’s going on. This doesn’t make sense.”
Korzyk said he complained to patient services about his experience. And then to the desk sergeant, who Korzyk said wasn’t receptive.
“He said this is not my problem,” Korzyk said. “And I said, shouldn’t you let somebody know that there’s a quarter long line…you know…of cars waiting to get in to the valet service?”
He said even when he tries to get there early, it’s a 45 minute wait.
The Problem Solvers reached out to the medical center for comment.
A spokeswoman said the medical center has had an eight percent increase in the number of veterans annually, and that McGuire has provided an additional 395 spaces.
She also tells us the handicapped spaces have been moved to other spots around the medical center.
She added that lines for the valet service may be longer during peak hours; 20 minutes for drop off times and pick up times are nine minutes.
She said they are working with an independent contractor to improve the service.
An additional 99 valet spaces will be available by early spring.
They said the new parking deck will be completed around the same time frame with an additional 400 spots.
McGuire offers a shuttle service for veterans at the medical center from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
You can reach them at 804-677-3814.
