Meeting Update for
April 24th, 2006
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 [email protected], 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!
April has been a very successful month for Citizens for Accessible
Neighbourhoods. In addition to the progression of ongoing projects CAN
has been asked to participate in two new, exciting, projects.
CAN has been working with getmenus.ca to create accessibility reviews
for the restaurants listed on getmenus. In previous months we
completed the checklist that will be used to review the restaurants.
This month we completed some samples of templates that getmenus.ca
could use for their web site. The staff at getmenus are currently
reviewing these and in the following month we will work with them to
polish the look of the reviews. Once this has been completed
volunteers from CAN will go to the restaurants to review them and have
a simple template to follow for submitting the reviews to getmenus.
The initial process of creating the checklist and the template for the
web site is time consuming but once these two are complete we will be
able to create an easy way for those with disabilities, mobility
impairments, or special needs, to check to see if a restaurant is
accessible to them or not. If you are interested in helping with this
project once we get to the reviewing stage please contact Heather at
(604) 466-8771 or e-mail her at [email protected].
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods has been involved in the
creation of adaptive sports in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. There is
currently a Power Soccer team in Maple Ridge, The Ridge Rockets, which
practice weekly. Power Soccer is soccer played by people who use power
wheelchairs. Recently CAN has received funding to continue Power
Soccer in Maple Ridge thanks to the Rick Hansen Foundation. Each year
the Fraternal Order of Eagles put on a Rick Hansen Wheel in Motion
Event in Maple Ridge. Half of the money raised is used for spinal cord
research. The other half of the money is used for “Quality of Life
Projects” within the community. CAN put in a proposal for the money
raised at last year’s Rick Hansen event to be used for the Power Soccer
team and for the start-up of adaptive Boccia in Pitt Meadows in the
fall. We are pleased to say that we were approved and that both
adaptive sports programs have found funding through the money raised at
last year’s event.
The Wheels in Motion Event is happening again this year on June 11th.
If you are able to support the event by attending, or by pledging
someone who is attending, please do so. Half of the money raised is
spent within the community it is raised in. The adaptive sports
program is excited to be approved for the funding as it allows the
athletes and coaches to concentrate on the sport as opposed to the
finances.
The Power Soccer team is still looking for new players. If you know
of anyone in a power wheelchair, or if you yourself are in a power
chair, and are interested in getting involved in soccer please contact
us at (604) 466-8771.
The adaptive Boccia will be starting in the fall. We hope to have the
team practice in Pitt Meadows. Adaptive Boccia is played indoors with
lighter, easier-to-grip, balls, and with chutes for those who are
unable to use their hands. The team is currently looking for anyone
interested in playing, coaching, or volunteering. The team will need
help setting up the court during each practice. Adaptive Boccia is a
sport that can be played by any person with a disability. People with
wheelchairs and scooters play, and those who are unable to stand for
long are allowed to sit in chairs to play. We hope to have some
demonstrations during the summer to show people in the two communities
what adaptive Boccia is and would appreciate anybody willing to
volunteer.
Both adaptive sports are part of the annual Disability Games. In 2008
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows will be hosting these games. CAN is
excited to be part of bringing adaptive sports out of Vancouver to
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. It will be great to have a strong
presence at the 2008 games when our athletes are able to compete within
their own community.
CAN thanks the Fraternal Order of Eagles for their hard work in
putting on the annual Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion event, and the Rick
Hansen Foundation for recognizing adaptive sports as an important
component of quality of life for those with disabilities in our two
communities.
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods has been working on creating,
and maintaining, an up-to-date web site that is accessible for all
internet users. One of CAN’s goals is to increase access to
information. It is very hard for people with disabilities to get
information about support groups, organizations, or programs in their
communities. The best way to get information is often by speaking with
others in similar situations. CAN hopes to lower the frustration level
of accessing information by listing support groups, organizations, and
programs on our web site. This past month we have doubled the listings
of local organizations. We have also quadrupled the listings of
support groups. In addition to increasing the listings we have
categorized the various listings for easier use. We have received a
lot of positive feedback from organizations, support groups, and users.
If you are aware of any organization, support group, or local program
that is not currently on the web site please contact us at (604)
466-8771 or [email protected]
In addition to increasing the listings of organizations and support
groups we have updated the CAN success page. It is encouraging to see
the successes that CAN has created in the small amount of time we have
been operating. Thank you to everyone for their hard work. We look
forward to continuing to increase accessibility within our two
communities. The next update to our web site will be the Current CAN
Project page which will be done by the end of May.
Accessible transportation within our two communities continues to be a
hot topic. Recently CAN heard some complaints concerning the new
shuttle bus situation. There are accessibility concerns as to the
proper use of shuttle buses for those with mobility aids and the
accessibility of the bus stops. There are also concerns that Translink
relies on the internet as their main source of information and
communication for their customers. This is not a viable option for many
community members who do not have computers, the internet, or for those
who do not understand how to use the Translink site. Citizens for
Accessible Neighbourhoods took these concerns to the Municipal Advisory
Committee on Accessibility Issues (MACAI). MACAI will be submitting a
request to both councils that a letter be sent to Translink outlining
the concerns of local residents.
While we appreciate MACAI approaching council with these concerns CAN
will also be writing a letter to Translink in May to question some of
the recent changes. We hope to have an update of this situation by the
end of May.
The mayor of Maple Ridge, Gordy Robson, has asked Citizens for
Accessible Neighbourhoods to be involved in the design of the seniors’
area in Maple Ridge (224th Street from Dewdney to 123rd). Mr. Robson
and the CAN chair, Heather McCain, have been talking about
accessibility within Maple Ridge. Mr. Robson is completely supportive
of accessibility and wants to consider the needs of all residents. The
so-called “Seniors’ area” is a good starting point to work with a
design committee to demonstrate what accessible needs must be
incorporated within our municipality. We at CAN are very pleased to
have been asked for our input and look forward to working with the
mayor, and the committee on creating an universally accessible area in
Maple Ridge that can be used as a protocol for future developments
and/or upgrades.
CAN is looking for members to offer suggestions as to what makes their
community accessible to them. The focus of this design committee will
be on the seniors’ area so if you have specific comments about
experiences within that area we would appreciate hearing them.
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods was asked to have a
representative involved in a Project Advisory Committee for an upcoming
networking event put on by Social Planning and Research Council of BC
(SPARC BC) at the UN World Urban Forum in Vancouver this June. The
networking event is entitled “Accessible Urban Space: A Facilitated
Discussion on Inclusive Communities”.
The UN World Urban Forum was established by the United Nations to
examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid
urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies and
policies. The forum is a series of more than 150 networking and
training events. More than 7000 people are expected in person at
forum. SPARC is creating this event for Accessible Urban Space as
accessibility is a part of a sustainable environment.
The project advisory committee that CAN has been asked to be a part of
is made up of eleven members from governmental- and non-governmental
organisations, educational institutions, social and urban planners, and
individuals interested in community accessibility around the world.
The committee members are from across Canada, as well as members from
Ireland and England. The committee members will use their experience
and expertise in these areas to provide information that will help the
project team plan and deliver a successful networking event.
SPARC BC asked CAN to be a part of this committee as we are an
organization that works towards accessibility within a municipality.
We are extremely pleased, and excited, to have been asked to
participate in a networking event that will take place at the upcoming
UN World Urban Forum. The actual networking event will have over fifty
people from fifteen different countries. The event will be a live
dialogue that will that will look at creating systemic change, not just
a band-aid solution. Political and technical concerns will be
considered to improve infrastructure. We will also be discussing
socioeconomic considerations for the various countries, as not all
countries that will have representation present will be developed.
There will be an update concerning what was discussed during this event
after the the UN World Urban Forum is held in late June.
Citizens for Accessible Neighbourhoods will be breaking for summer
after our May meeting. We will continue with our monthly meetings in
September. During the summer we will be working on creating a more
visible presence for CAN in the two communities. We will also be
reassessing the current meeting time. If you have been unable to
attend our meetings due to the time please let us know what time would
work better for you.
We, at CAN, are pleased that in the short amount of time we have been
operating that we have managed to create positive change and be noticed
by people such as the Maple Ridge mayor, and the staff at SPARC BC. We
are also pleased with the changes, and positive feedback, that we see
and hear within our own two communities. Thank you to everyone for
their feedback, please keep it coming. Together we CAN create positive
change!
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 [email protected], 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.
Together we CAN!
We hope to see you at our next meeting on May 15th at the Fraser
Room in the Maple Ridge Library from 7:00 – 8:30 PM.
Remember together we CAN!