How I was forced to wake up to the importance of removing barriers and making Oshawa accessible to all — I am not proud of the fact that it needed to be pointed out to me. What happened goes back 11 years...8 years before I was elected to Oshawa City Council.
In the 2010 municipal election, I was an Oshawa resident who wanted to see big changes on Council. This related in part to trying to slow urban sprawl and protect the City's agricultural lands, although that is really not part of this story.
I was not running as a candidate in the election but decided to organize a 'Positive Discussion' event to raise awareness of issues that I felt could benefit from greater public engagement.
I called the owner of a well-known facility in north/east Oshawa and he obliged the free use of his large meeting hall.
The accessibility of the venue was not on my mind at all. I was worried about arranging many details, but that was not one of them. Fortunately the hall was accessible and that first Positive Discussion event was a success.
The next day an individual (‘V’) who had attended the meeting urged me to organize another Positive Discussion event. V suggested his Church basement for the venue as it was well-sized and in a good central Oshawa location.
I inspected the Church with V and agreed it would work. It was enjoyable organizing this 2nd Positive Discussion, more people were interested in joining in and helping to promote it.
However, 72 hours before the event was to take place an outcry against it started to brew on social media. People were objecting to a public event taking place in a church basement that was not accessible – and the wrong message this projected. They argued that any candidates planning to participate should be shamed into not attending. One individual in particular starting calling for a protest rally outside the Church to stop the event.
V called and explained the Church actually was planning to install a chair lift to make the church basement accessible but was still working out the funding. He and a couple of the candidates phoned and emailed saying not to worry, they could make arrangements to carry down the stairs anyone who wanted to attend but couldn't manage the stairs.
I said thanks but didn't think that appropriate. I agreed the Church should not be criticized. I was sorry to bring this kind of attention to the Church and appreciated hearing it was planning on making the basement accessible.
Someone messaged encouraging me to reach out to a member of the Oshawa Accessibility Advisory Committee. I did and learned more. This person, who struggled with her painful disability, was very much against me hosting the event in the Church basement and critical of me being so out-of-touch on the accessibility issue, yet she soon became a very good friend. She and I shared a common passion for getting things done. She recently passed away, but I am indebted to her the most for opening my eyes to the barriers those with disabilities face.
It is reassuring now to consider all the good that came out of what I thought at the time a distressing experience.
After a lot of anguish, I called a friend of a family member, someone who had large tents. They donated the free use of two tents to conduct the meeting in the church parking lot. The candidates participating in the meeting helped set them up. It turned out to be a different meeting than planned, but a learning experience not just for me, but for many that day.
Seven months later V fell and tore the ligaments in both his knees. He spent many months in the hospital as there were complications. Unfortunately after several operations, both his legs from the knee down had to be amputated.
As we had become friends, when he was discharged I invited him to my home for a visit. The problem was my front door is not accessible, but fortunately we could maneuver V’s wheelchair to the back and through the rear yard walkout.
When I was elected to Council three years ago, I asked to be nominated as the Council member on the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Of all the people I have shared time with at meetings these past three years, I especially appreciate the volunteers on this committee and the work they do.
I share the above in the hope that it leads to better understanding how accessibility changes can and must be made.
Below is the notice of motion sent in last month which is now on tomorrow afternoon's Development Services Committee Agenda. Of course letters to both [email protected] and [email protected] in support can help advance this request for a city-wide accessibility grant program.
DS-21-206
Whereas the City of Oshawa is dedicated to removing barriers and improving accessibility for its residents and businesses; and,
Whereas the City has a grant program for accessibility improvements limited to the Downtown Urban Growth Center Community Improvement Plan; and,
Whereas other municipalities have a separate city-wide accessibility grant program;
Now therefore the city staff investigate a new program to revise the current accessibility grant program that will inspire improved accessibility city-wide.
In the 2010 municipal election, I was an Oshawa resident who wanted to see big changes on Council. This related in part to trying to slow urban sprawl and protect the City's agricultural lands, although that is really not part of this story.
I was not running as a candidate in the election but decided to organize a 'Positive Discussion' event to raise awareness of issues that I felt could benefit from greater public engagement.
I called the owner of a well-known facility in north/east Oshawa and he obliged the free use of his large meeting hall.
The accessibility of the venue was not on my mind at all. I was worried about arranging many details, but that was not one of them. Fortunately the hall was accessible and that first Positive Discussion event was a success.
The next day an individual (‘V’) who had attended the meeting urged me to organize another Positive Discussion event. V suggested his Church basement for the venue as it was well-sized and in a good central Oshawa location.
I inspected the Church with V and agreed it would work. It was enjoyable organizing this 2nd Positive Discussion, more people were interested in joining in and helping to promote it.
However, 72 hours before the event was to take place an outcry against it started to brew on social media. People were objecting to a public event taking place in a church basement that was not accessible – and the wrong message this projected. They argued that any candidates planning to participate should be shamed into not attending. One individual in particular starting calling for a protest rally outside the Church to stop the event.
V called and explained the Church actually was planning to install a chair lift to make the church basement accessible but was still working out the funding. He and a couple of the candidates phoned and emailed saying not to worry, they could make arrangements to carry down the stairs anyone who wanted to attend but couldn't manage the stairs.
I said thanks but didn't think that appropriate. I agreed the Church should not be criticized. I was sorry to bring this kind of attention to the Church and appreciated hearing it was planning on making the basement accessible.
Someone messaged encouraging me to reach out to a member of the Oshawa Accessibility Advisory Committee. I did and learned more. This person, who struggled with her painful disability, was very much against me hosting the event in the Church basement and critical of me being so out-of-touch on the accessibility issue, yet she soon became a very good friend. She and I shared a common passion for getting things done. She recently passed away, but I am indebted to her the most for opening my eyes to the barriers those with disabilities face.
It is reassuring now to consider all the good that came out of what I thought at the time a distressing experience.
After a lot of anguish, I called a friend of a family member, someone who had large tents. They donated the free use of two tents to conduct the meeting in the church parking lot. The candidates participating in the meeting helped set them up. It turned out to be a different meeting than planned, but a learning experience not just for me, but for many that day.
Seven months later V fell and tore the ligaments in both his knees. He spent many months in the hospital as there were complications. Unfortunately after several operations, both his legs from the knee down had to be amputated.
As we had become friends, when he was discharged I invited him to my home for a visit. The problem was my front door is not accessible, but fortunately we could maneuver V’s wheelchair to the back and through the rear yard walkout.
When I was elected to Council three years ago, I asked to be nominated as the Council member on the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Of all the people I have shared time with at meetings these past three years, I especially appreciate the volunteers on this committee and the work they do.
I share the above in the hope that it leads to better understanding how accessibility changes can and must be made.
Below is the notice of motion sent in last month which is now on tomorrow afternoon's Development Services Committee Agenda. Of course letters to both [email protected] and [email protected] in support can help advance this request for a city-wide accessibility grant program.
DS-21-206
Whereas the City of Oshawa is dedicated to removing barriers and improving accessibility for its residents and businesses; and,
Whereas the City has a grant program for accessibility improvements limited to the Downtown Urban Growth Center Community Improvement Plan; and,
Whereas other municipalities have a separate city-wide accessibility grant program;
Now therefore the city staff investigate a new program to revise the current accessibility grant program that will inspire improved accessibility city-wide.
