An new online tool is making it easier for people with disabilities to find accessible places.
The myCommunity BC map was launched at findsupportbc.com around a year ago with around 400 places tagged across the province, and now, there are nearly 1,000. For example, click on the pin for Chilliwack乌鸦传媒檚 Cottonwood Four Cinemas and you乌鸦传媒檒l see it checking boxes for 乌鸦传媒榓ccessibility乌鸦传媒� and 乌鸦传媒榳elcoming diversity乌鸦传媒� while also earning little green icons for 乌鸦传媒榝un and lively spot乌鸦传媒� and 乌鸦传媒榓 spot to meet new people.乌鸦传媒�
Visitors can click the 乌鸦传媒榓dd a place乌鸦传媒� button on the top right to do just that, giving Esther King and others a better sense of what awaits them when they leave the controlled environment of their own home.
King has a 17-year-old daughter, named Joudelie, who needs significant help wherever she goes. She has taken Joudelie to places that have 乌鸦传媒榓ccessible washrooms乌鸦传媒� according to the letter of the law, but in reality the bathroom stall isn乌鸦传媒檛 wide enough for a bigger wheelchair, or the grab bars are in the wrong place.
乌鸦传媒淪omeone needs a toilet when they乌鸦传媒檙e out and they can乌鸦传媒檛 get into the bathroom, that乌鸦传媒檚 a pretty big problem,乌鸦传媒� King said. 乌鸦传媒淲hen you乌鸦传媒檝e got to go, you乌鸦传媒檝e got to go, and what are you going to do? I have to lift Joudelie to help her transfer onto the toilet, and if I乌鸦传媒檓 tired or my back is sore on a particular day and I乌鸦传媒檓 not confident there will be enough space to do that, we just don乌鸦传媒檛 go. She ends up not participating in things in the community that she has every right to participate in.乌鸦传媒�
When submitting a location to the map, there is a spot for users to type their thoughts on what was or wasn乌鸦传媒檛 good about it. King said having reports 乌鸦传媒榝rom the field乌鸦传媒� makes her more confident going to a particular venue, and that could be beneficial for businesses who pay attention.
乌鸦传媒淲hen I have a really good experience I tell businesses and thank them for it,乌鸦传媒� King said. 乌鸦传媒淭his map can be a big part of sharing that, and what I乌鸦传媒檇 eventually like to see is stickers on the windows of businesses that are truly accessible.乌鸦传媒�
Phillip Retief is a student at the University of the Fraser Valley and said the tool is great because it allows people with disabilities to gain independence.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 terrible when you get to a place you were excited to go to, but you get there and realize it乌鸦传媒檚 not accessible,乌鸦传媒� said Retief, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. 乌鸦传媒淵ou really want to be a part of something, but you can乌鸦传媒檛.乌鸦传媒�
Retief remembers a trip to play mini-golf at Castle Fun Park in Abbotsford.
乌鸦传媒淲hen you go onto the pitch, there is a step going down, and I can乌鸦传媒檛 do that with my wheelchair,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚 need someone to pick me up and bring me down. It is sad when friends are down there enjoying mini-golfing and there is no access for me to join them. It feels uncomfortable and unfair, and it乌鸦传媒檚 awkward because everyone knows you乌鸦传媒檙e the one person who can乌鸦传媒檛 do what they乌鸦传媒檙e doing.乌鸦传媒�
The myCommunity BC map is based on the BC Community Asset mapping network, and icons come from Green Map, an international non-profit actively mapping assets in 65 countries around the world. More help comes from the Family Support Institute and Community Living BC.
Retief said it has the potential to make discussion about accessibility 乌鸦传媒渇un and engaging,乌鸦传媒� and maybe create real progress.
乌鸦传媒淎ccessibility is a work in the progress. People need feedback to learn and grow and better the services that they make available,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚t opens up communication and awareness and opens up the conversation about inclusiveness.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淲ith this map, it will just be nice to be confident knowing that if someone says a place accessible, it truly is.乌鸦传媒�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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