Be prepared for some major changes if you are going to be accessing the QEII in Halifax.

As part of the hospital’s expansion, the Robie Street parkade is set to close Monday in preparation for its upcoming demolition.

This means, if you are coming into town for any appointments or surgeries, you might want to leave yourself some extra time to navigate as things get ironed out.

Senior Clinical Director with the redevelopment project, Dorothy MacLeod says, accessing and finding parking on campus will be different.

The changes include:

• 1796 Summer Street will become the new main entrance, (currently on Robie Street), directly across from the Summer Street parkade
• The Robie Street parkade will be closed, the Summer Street parkade will be available (next to the Museum of Natural History)
• The entrance to the emergency department on Robie Street, will be a little more north – where you drop off and park at the ER won’t change

MacLeod tells us there will be a lot of indicators to help you along the way.

“There will signage both within the hospital and outside the hospital.  There will be an increased presence of volunteers as well as mobility aids and other supports with navigating and wayfinding.”

MacLeod says they encourage you to take a look at a map and try to familiarize yourself with the area first, before heading into town.

“You know there’s an abundance of construction happening across the province and certainly in the city right now and so it is taking longer than some folks may be used to, to get where you need to go…and you know feeling like you’re going to be late can just make an already stressful experience feel that much more stressful.”

Nova Scotia Health says 40 per cent of all visits at the QEII are from residents who live outside of HRM.

The last day to park at the Robie Street parkade is Sunday, August 25.