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. Thank you for you
interest. Your ideas, suggestions, and input will help to create
positive change in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. Together we CAN!
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods held their third meeting this past Monday, November 21st. We had several community members present, as well as a representative from the BC Paraplegic Association. During the meeting our new mayor, Gord Robson, popped in to ask about CAN, how he might be able to help, and what issues we were discussing. Mr. Robson explained that he has personal experience with accessibility as he was in a wheelchair for several years. We appreciated his attendance and look forward to working with Mr. Robson and the new Maple Ridge council, as well as Mr. MacLean and the new Pitt Meadows council, to improve accessibility within our two communities.
One of the most important accessibility issues in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows is transportation. We have been communicating with Translink to find out what their criteria is for deeming a bus stop accessible. We have recently received a response and will be reviewing the bus stops which are not currently marked as accessible during the next three months. If you know of a bus stop that you feel should be accessible but which is not please contact us with the location.
Currently accessible bus stops are marked with the designated handicapped symbol on the top of the bus stop sign. This small identification is hard to see and creates problems for passengers on the buses who are looking for accessible bus stops while in a moving vehicle. After we have reviewed the accessibility of the unmarked bus stops we hope to work with Translink to create an easier way of identifying the accessible bus stops. There were two suggestions made during our meeting in regards to better identification of accessible bus stops. The first was to have a pocket-sized guide that lists the accessible bus stops. This will be useful for the bus riders as well as the bus drivers. The second suggestions was to have a neon orange, or pink, band painted around the bus stop poles; this would be more visual and have less of a chance to be obstructed by overgrown trees. If you have any other suggestions please let us know by phoning (604) 466-8771 or e-mailing info@canbc.org.
Translink is building a new transit exchange (bus loop) in Maple Ridge. They held an open house on September 14th to gather feedback from community members about the proposed plans. CAN communicated the need for accessibility. We wrote several e-mails to Shirley Samujh, the Community Relations Coordinator. She was quick with her responses to our concerns and assured us that Translink would take our concerns into account when creating the final plans.
Translink held a second open house on November 17th at Haney Place Mall. This open house showed the plans for the new transit exchange and had several handouts. One of the handouts listed what Translink had learned during the first open house. Two of the items listed concern accessibility and show that Translink took our comments seriously, and plan to implement our suggestions. The two items are:
"Safety and Security: The proposed bus loop will improve overall road and transit operational safety by eliminating the need to cross the street for bus to bus transfer. The improved lighting and installation of a public telephone will improve security."
"Wheelchair Access: Wheelchair letdowns to and from the transit exchange will be improved. The sidewalk surface will improve rider comfort for wheelchair users."
We are pleased to see that Translink has listened to our concerns and has realized their importance. The elimination of the need to cross the street is very important for safety, and is especially important for people who are blind or who have visual impairments. For those with visual impairments crossing the street can be dangerous and the elimination of the need to cross the street creates a safer, and more comfortable, environment.
We were very pleased to see that they have committed to improving the letdowns (curb cuts) which are important for transit users with strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, carts, and other mobility devices. The addition of information concerning the sidewalk surface is also very important and we appreciate their listening to our suggestions.
The projected completion date for the new transit exchange is late 2006. We will continue to offer our feedback throughout their implementation process. If you have any comments concerning the bus loop you may contact Heather at CAN by phoning (604) 466-8771 or by e-mail at info@canbc.org. If you have comments for Translink you can contact Shirley at shirley_samujh@translink.bc.ca
CAN is working in partnership with getmenus.ca to rate the accessibility of restaurants listed their web site. We have spent the last three months compiling information from different disability groups to create a checklist for accessibility. The checklist is now complete. We will use this checklist to rate the accessibility of the restaurants. We have taken into consideration people with walkers, scooters, strollers, wheelchairs (power and manual), and people with visual or hearing impairments. This list will be fluid and will be adjusted as needed.
In our reviews we will use universally recognizable symbols for various mobility aids or disabilities to rate the accessibility of the restaurant. We will also write a short explanation as to how the restaurant is accessible.
After we have reviewed a restaurant we will give a copy of the checklist, and completed report, to the owner or manager of the restaurant so that they are aware of how they are, and are not, accessible. We hope to increase awareness about accessibility by letting business owners, and staff members, know what accessibility means to us.
If you are interested is seeing the four page checklist please e-mail us at info@canbc.org. We will start to review restaurants this month. We are excited to be working with getmenus.ca so that community members may look up local restaurants before going to them to ensure that they meet the needs of all individual patrons.
During our meeting we discussed finances, and the need for grants, sponsorships, or fundraising events. We have several members keen on working together to create a fundraising event in 2006 for CAN. If you interested in helping please let us know.
CAN has submitted a grant proposal to the Rotary Club of Maple Ridge. CAN hopes to raise enough money to get a table at the 2006 Maple Ridge Home Show. We will be working on creating a higher profile for CAN in the two communities within the new year.
We will be starting a yearly $20 membership fee in January. If you are truly unable to afford this yearly fee please let us know and we will adjust the fee.
The Maple Ridge Power Soccer team has chosen a name: The Ridge Rockets. The Ridge Rockets will start participating in games with the West Vancouver, Surrey, and Vancouver teams in January. We are looking for new players of all ages. If you, or someone you know, is interested in participating in a sport for people in power wheelchairs please phone Heather at (604) 466-8771. We are also looking for volunteers to help with coaching and refereeing.
The team practices Wednesday evenings from 6 - 7:30 PM at Alexander Robinson Elementary School.
There have been concerns about the curb cuts, or the absence of curb cuts, on 224th Street in Maple Ridge. There are several crosswalks that do not line up with curb cuts, or which have curb cuts going in only one direction. The Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility Issues (MACAI) has been dealing with this concern. They recently met with members of the engineering department who have told members of MACAI that the curb cuts are to be improved next year. We look forward to the improvement of the curb cuts and thank MACAI for their efforts.
CAN’s November meeting was very productive. We look forward to progressing forward with our goals. If you have any feedback please let us know by phoning (604) 466-8771 or e-mailing info@canbc.org.
I thank those who attended our meeting, and those who were unable to attend but offered their support and ideas by phone or e-mail. CAN is considering starting a daytime meeting in the new year for members who are unable to attend meetings at night. If you are interested please let us know.
A newsletter, such as this, will follow each meeting to keep you up to date. If you are interested in receiving a copy of this newsletter by e-mail or through regular post please contact us.
I hope to see you on January 16th at the Fraser Room in the Maple Ridge Library from 6:30 - 8:30 PM, or hear from you by e-mail or telephone prior to our meeting.
There will be no meeting in December.
Remember together we CAN!
