This newsletter/update is to keep members of CAN, or interested parties, up to date on our monthly meeting, what we discussed, what our plans are for the upcoming month, and any other pertinent information covered during the meeting. We understand that not everyone is able to attend a monthly meeting and hope that this will keep those interested in CAN in the loop. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments concerning our meetings and/or this update by e-mailing us at info@canbc.org, or by phoning (604) 466-8771.
During the summer Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods (CAN) will not be holding monthly meetings. We are involved in various events and invite everyone to come and support CAN and our efforts.
On July 8th and September 2nd CAN will have a table at the Haney Farmers' Market to promote CAN, our goals, and our projects. We are hoping to increase our membership list and our presence in the community.
On July 8th we will be fundraising by selling photo-cards. Please come out and support CAN.
On September 2nd our primary goal at the market will be to promote the beginning of the adaptive sports program season. We hope to have athletes from both Power Soccer and Adaptive Boccia present to demonstrate the sports.
CAN president Heather McCain will be making a presentation to both councils in July. Heather was recently part of a project advisory committee that created an event for the recently held UN World Urban Forum. The event was an international dialogue on accessibility, entitled "Accessible Urban Spaces: A Facilitated Discussion on Inclusive Communities". There were participants online and in person. More than twelve countries were represented, including India, Germany, Hungary, Canada, USA, Thailand, and others. The dialogue was very interesting and stressed the importance of governments taking the policies already in place and utilizing them.
Heather will be making a presentation to the Maple Ridge council on July 11th to explain about the event, the topics discussed, and the ideas that came from them. She hopes to encourage the Maple Ridge council to see the importance of accessibility in our community.
Heather will be making the presentation to Pitt Meadows council to stress the importance of accessibility and to discuss the UN event on July 18th.
After our last meeting a letter was written to Translink regarding the accessibility of the bus service in our two communities. We received a response to our letter from David K Wozencroft, the Community Liaison to the Disability Community for TransLink. Mr. Wozencroft's suggestion was that he and a colleague, Mr. John Timms, Community Liaison for Coast Mountain Bus Co., come to a CAN meeting to discuss Translink's and Coast Mountain Bus Company's policies regarding accessibility. CAN requested that instead of using a CAN meeting to discuss these important matters that we create a public meeting and invite all interested parties. We will invite the council and mayors from both communities as well as staff from the planning and engineering department. We will open the meeting to all residents of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows as we at CAN feel that it is important to have Translink and CMB explain their policies, and answer our questions, to as many concerned residents as possible. Mr. Wozencroft has agreed to such a meeting. CAN will work over the summer to set up the meeting for September.
If you are interested in helping with the meeting please let us know. We are looking for volunteers to help organize the event. We would also like feedback as to when the meeting should be held. We hope to book the Ridge Meadows Seniors' Activity Centre on 224th as it is an accessible building which has the capacity for such a meeting. Please let us know what time and day would work best for you.
During the meeting we will give Mr. Wozencroft and Mr. Timms an opportunity to explain the policies of their respective companies. We will also give them the opportunity to explain future plans for improvement regarding accessibility for our two communities. We will ask them to answer the questions outlined in the letter that was sent to them. If you would like to read a copy of the letter please e-mail us at info@canbc.org or phone Heather at (604) 466-8771.
We are hoping to have people who have had problems with the accessibility of the bus service explain what happened to them and how they would like to see the service improved. If you, or someone you know, has such an experience and are willing to share in person or on paper for someone else to read, please e-mail us at info@canbc.org or phone Heather at (604) 466-8771. We believe it is very important to have lived experiences for Translink and CMB to hear.
In addition to volunteers helping set up the meeting and sharing their experiences we are asking people to let others know about our meeting. While we don't have a set date yet we would like to have a list of people to contact when the meeting is set up. We will advertise in the local papers but we would like to get as much feedback prior to the meeting as possible so that we answer the questions that are relevant to the experiences of those in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and it would help us to have these questions and concerns as soon as possible.
Please let us know if you can be of assistance with this meeting.
CAN president, Heather McCain was interviewed on CBC Radio Thursday, June 22nd, and spoke of the need for universal access. Heather emphasized the need for implementing the policies already in place and expanding on the already created minimum standards. Heather also spoke about the need for people to realize that accessibility, or "universal accessibility" is about more than just the user group of those with wheelchairs.
CBC Radio 690 was intrigued by Heather's statements and expressed interest in having her back again to speak at a later date. The interview raised awareness about accessibility and advertised the presence of Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods.
CAN has secured funding for both adaptive sports: Power Soccer and Adaptive Boccia. Power Soccer is soccer played by those who use power wheelchairs. Adaptive Boccia is for people with disabilities, limited grip or mobility, and which is played indoors on a gym floor with lighter, easier to grip, Boccia balls. For more information visit our Adaptive Sports page.
CAN would like to thank the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Rick Hansen Foundation for putting on the annual Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion Event. Each year half of the money raised from the event is brought back to the community for "quality of life" projects. This year the adaptive sports program was approved as the recipient of the funds raised during last year’s event.
The Adaptive Sports program will run from September to June. We are currently looking for volunteers and players for both sports.
The funding from the Rick Hansen Foundation was spent during the month of June. We now have equipment for both sports and hope to set up demonstrations over the summer. Please let us know if you are interested in helping by e-mailing info@canbc.org or phoning (604) 466-8771.
CAN is trying to raise funds so that we may work on more projects such as the meeting with Translink or demonstrations of the adaptive sports program. If you have not yet paid your membership fees or if you would like to donate to Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods please let us know.
We welcome any feedback concerning CAN’s goals, projects, and/or this newsletter. If you know of anyone interested in joining CAN, volunteering, or receiving the newsletter please let them know about our web site www.canbc.org, and pass on our contact information: e-mail info@canbc.org, phone number (604) 466-8771.
Thank you for you interest. Your ideas, suggestions, and input will help to create positive change in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
We will be breaking for the summer. We look forward to seeing you in September when we resume with our meetings.
Remember together we CAN!
