Council Approves Accessibility Upgrades When Funding Becomes Available

Council received and approved recommendations from the Special Needs Advisory Committee to upgrade accessibility to City owned facilities when capital funding became available.

The recommended facilities needing upgrades came about as part of a report put forward as a result of a survey conducted by the City at the behest of the Special Needs Advisory Committee. The survey asked residents about their concerns and priorities when it came to accessibility to City-owned indoor and outdoor facilities.

The path is cemented but there is no ramp to access to access the parking lot which is two feet lower than the sidewalk at Smith Park - MJ Independent photo

The path is cemented but there is no ramp to access to access the parking lot which is two feet lower than the sidewalk at Smith Park - MJ Independent photo

“Several months ago we worked with Mr (Craig) Hemingway and Mr (Derek) Blais to create a survey regarding about what the biggest concerns about accessibility are,” Mike Bachiu, chair of the Special Needs Advisory Council said. “We got it back and Mr Blais combined it into a report showing where most of the concerns were.”

In the report there was listed three levels of priority capital projects - high, medium and low priority - as rated by the survey respondents.

High Priority capital accessibility projects were:

  • Smith Park building upgrades 

  • City Hall entrances 

  • Updated accessibility audit on all City facilities 

  • Pathway and trail system curb cuts and surfacing improvements 

  • Kinsmen Sportsplex changeroom amenities and building upgrades 

  • Crescent Park pathway improvements

Narrow doors and a repair that is a bit of a bump might have to be replaced at Smith Park in any accessibility upgrade - MJ Independent photo

Narrow doors and a repair that is a bit of a bump might have to be replaced at Smith Park in any accessibility upgrade - MJ Independent photo

Medium Priority capital accessibility projects were :

  • Kinfield Park building upgrades 

  • Ross Wells Park facility upgrades 

  • Pla-Mor Palace ice surface ramps 

  • Dog Park pathway improvements

A better pathway to allow better accessibility at the outdoor dog park is something respondents asked for - MJ Independent photo

A better pathway to allow better accessibility at the outdoor dog park is something respondents asked for - MJ Independent photo

Low Priority accessibility capital projects were:

  • West End Park building upgrades 

  • Moose Square Park building upgrades

Surfacing improvements on trails is something survey participants were looking for - MJ Independent photo

Surfacing improvements on trails is something survey participants were looking for - MJ Independent photo

In a unanimous 6 - 0 vote, with Mayor Fraser Tolmie away, Council approved the accessibility projects to be completed in the list of priorities contained in the report on the survey whenever funding becomes available under capital fund PR 59 accessibility funding.

It needs to be noted that many projects funded in part by other levels of government or through other third parties require that accessibility be part of any upgrades in order to access the funding.

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