Current CAN Projects
Here are the current projects that CAN is working on:
- CAN representative assists Superhost in reviewing the existing Customer with Disabilities workshop
- Executive Director of CAN Appointed to Protocol Directorate for the 2009 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows BC Disability Games
- Working with BC Disability Sports to Bring New Sports to the BC Disability Games
- New Adaptive Sports Page in Progress
- New Transit Hub in Maple Ridge Leaves Out Accessibility for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Bus Stop Near Pitt Meadow's Community Garden to be Made Accessible
CAN representative assists Superhost in reviewing the existing Customer with Disabilities workshop
This April Superhost will be reviewing their current Custome with Disabilities workshop. CAN has a representative that will be present to offer feedback on the current workshop and advice on how Superhost can update the content.
Executive Director of CAN Appointed to Protocol Directorate for the 2009 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows BC Disability Games
Heather McCain, the Executive Director of Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods, was asked to join the Protocol Directorate and chair the Athletes with a Disability portfolio for the 2009 Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows BC Disability Games.
The purpose of the Athletes with a Disability chair is to ensure that all athletes competing in the games experience the highest standards and accessibility and inclusion. This will include educating the Host Community Board of Directors, chairs, sport chairs, volunteers, and the general public.
Some of the tasks that Heather is in charge of, and might need feedback or assistance for, are:
- Reviewing a disability awareness guide,
- Ensuring images and messages include athletes with a disability,
- Ensuring all facilities are accessible and that accessible parking for athletes with a disability are available at each venue,
- Sensitivity and awareness session for all volunteers,
- Determine requirements for interpreters, and
- Prepare information for the rector is to assist them with preparing their volunteers to work with athletes with a disability.
Heather appreciates the CAN members who have agreed to help her in her new position and with her new, and upcoming, tasks. Anybody interested in helping Heather, should contact her at (604) 437-7331 or by e-mail at info@canbc.org. Heather will keep anyone interested up to date on the progress of her portfolio, as well as the progress of the Disability Games.
Working with BC Disability Sports to Bring New Sports to the BC Disability Games
Members of Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods have been working with BC Disability Sports to add new sports and athletes to the 2009 Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows BC Disability Games.
CAN is often contacted by people looking for adaptive sports as well as people who run adaptive sports programs. We are using this contact information to help increase the exposure of adaptive sports during the 2009 Games.
We have recently spoken with Toni Triplett who co-ordinates Wheelchair Ballroom Dancing in Tsawwassen. She is interested in organizing Wheelchair Dancing in communities throughout the Lower Mainland and she sees the BC Disability Games as a great opportunity to introduce Wheelchair Dancing to people who have never heard of, or seen, it. Toni and some of her students may do a demonstration at the our BC Disability Games.
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods is proud to be a Partner Member of BC Disability Sports and we look forward to our continued work with them as we, along with the many enthusiastic volunteers in our two communities, work on making the 2009 Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows BC DIsability Games the best games possible.
New Adaptive Sports Page in Progress
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods has been contacted by people within the adaptive sports community asking for their organizations, clubs, and sports to be included on our web site. We are proud that so many people are aware of our web site and we look forward to creating an Adaptive Sports Page that will list the Lower Mainland's adaptive sports, programs, and clubs.
Volunteers at Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods are working on compiling the list of adaptive sports in the Lower Mainland. We hope to have our first listing up by the third week of December. We will keep members updated on this page through our newsletter and on our web site.
If you know of any adaptive sports please contact us at (604) 437-7331 or by e-mail at info@canbc.org
New Transit Hub in Maple Ridge Leaves Out Accessibility for the Blind and Visually Impaired
CAN was contacted by residents with visual impairments regarding the new bus loop. There are some big safety problems with the new bus loop for the visually impaired and blind community and they needed to be immediately addressed. Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods was disappointed to see these accessibility "musts" absent as we were consulted during the planning stages and we mentioned the needs of the blind and visually impaired residents. CAN contacted the engineering department with our concerns.
The new bus stop did not have the yellow warning strip on the edge of the bus platform or the tactile warning strip on the curb cuts. Both the strip and the tactile are necessary to indicate a change in grade or a drop. We also noticed that a brand new curb cut does not line up properly with an old curb cut which would prove difficult for users with visual impairments. The other issue was that the intersection of Edge and McIntosh is a three way but does not have a three way stop which makes it difficult for pedestrians, especially those with visual impairments.
Upon following up with the engineering department we have been assured that the accessibility issues "will be completed in due course as part of the construction".
Bus Stop Near Pitt Meadow's Community Garden to be Made Accessible
Citizens for Accessible Neighbour was contacted by a resident of Pitt Meadows who has a plot at the Pitt Meadows Community Garden. She relies on a scooter to get around and is frustrated that the closest bus stop to the garden is not accessible. The bus stop is located Northbound on Bonson Road at S. Wildwood Crescent, and is on the C41 route.
CAN contacted Coast Mountain Bus Company representative, Dave Evans, as well as Pitt Meadows Engineering Services Coordinator Ike de Boer and explained the issue, including photographs of the bus stop. We explained that we were aware that the Community Garden's location had only recently been changed so it was understandable that the stop was not accessible, however, we would appreciate it being made accessible for those who have adapted plots in the garden and for all gardeners who rely on mobility devices. We received an immediate response from both Dave Evans and Ike de Boer explaining and they understood the need for an accessible pad at-bat bus stop and that they would add it to the list of stocks to be made accessible will stop.
Our original e-mail was sent in the summer, and since that time Dave Evans has retired. We recently followed up with Ike de Boer who explained that they "had an estimate done for doing the work this year however the costs were much higher ($8,000) than anticipated. We are scheduling the work early next year as there will be budget monies available at that time."
We will continue to update CAN members on the progress of this issue through our newsletter and on our website.
If you know of any bus stops that need to be made accessible please contact us at (604) 437 7331 or by e-mail at info@canbc.org.
