Parking illiegally in a disabled spot can result in a $250 fine.

The City of Whitehorse will start issuing fines Wednesday to motorists who
illegally park in disabled parking spots, including on privately-owned
parking lots and shopping malls.

Rick Goodfellow, chair of the city’s Persons with Disabilities Advisory
Committee, said he hopes the $250 fine will serve as a deterrent to those
who park in those spots without a permit. “We’ve had unbelievable issues at
the Qwanlin Mall and that’s been going on for years and years,” said
Goodfellow. “Superstore is another one that’s just awful.”

He said disabled drivers sometimes have deep snow to contend with and the
reserved spots near a doorway are a much-needed convenience. “It’s one thing
to be close to the door and of course when you get a lot of snow on the
ground like we do here that’s a big deal, but as well for people who have
side lifts, side ramps on their vehicles, they need to make sure that you
have enough room to get back into it.”

City officials have issued 20 warning tickets to motorists in advance of the
new Sept. 1 law. Whitehorse city manager Dennis Shewfelt said signs have
been prominently displayed, warning anyone without a permit that there are
new fines in place.

“We’ll see how it works, I think this is probably going to be effective but
we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Reproduced from http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2010/08/31/north-whitehorse-disabled-parking-fines.html

October 28, 2010 St. Nicholas Macedonian Church Hall, 5225 Howard Avenue, LaSalle, Ontario
N9A 6Z6

This Accessibility Workshop is presented by the Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee.
Special thanks to the Windsor Accessibility Advisory Committee and the St. Nicholas Macedonian Eastern Orthodox Church Hall for their contributions. 

8:30 am to 9:00 am

Registration and Refreshments  

Opening Remarks – Hall A
9:00 am to 9:10 am
Robert Schmidt, Chair, Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee  

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
(Hall A)
9:10 am to 10:00 am
Danny McCoy: The Real McCoy A successful entrepreneur, businessman and athlete, Danny McCoy’s life abruptly changed after an automobile accident in 1994. Having undergone several surgeries and extensive rehabilitation, Danny found that the financial and psychological damages of losing his businesses and lifestyle to which he was so accustomed were every bit as debilitating as any physical injuries. With the support of his friends, Danny was able to re-connect with his love of sailing. After winning several Mobility Cups, Danny created the Disabled Sailing Association of Ontario. Since then Danny has represented Canada as a Paralympian in Sydney 2000 and has competed in and won many more competitions. More than that, Danny has become a source of inspiration, encouragement
and energy for thousands of people with disabilities around the world. Danny believes that people with disabilities are all extreme athletes… people who
go all out, who challenge themselves and others everyday…set pain aside, to reach a goal…to win or to bust their butts trying to. 

10:00 am to 10:15 am

Break 

10:15 am to 11:15 am

David Lepofsky: Winning Our Campaign For a Fully Accessible Ontario (via video conference) An award winning lawyer, teacher, lecturer and author, David Lepofsky is probably best known for his advocacy work in the field of social justice and social development. David has been honoured with numerous awards through both his professional career and his volunteer work, including the Order of Ontario in 2008 and Order of Canada in 1995. He was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the Rupert Ross Award for Social Justice in 2008. As well as being a part-time law faculty member at the University of Toronto, David is currently the chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance where he continues to advocate for a fully accessible Ontario. David will share his view on whether we are “Winning our Campaign For a Fully Accessible Ontario”. 

11:15 am to 11:30 am

Break  

Morning Concurrent Workshops
(Attend a session in either Hall A or Hall B) 

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Concurrent Session 1.1 – Location: Hall A, Macedonian Hall Healthy Places, Healthy People Municipal Planners Larry Silani and Brian Hillman will present the planning principles contained in the Windsor-Essex Inter-Municipal Planning and Consultation Committee’s “Healthy Places, Healthy People” document.

The principles of community design and land use planning required to facilitate vibrant, accessible and healthy neighbourhoods and communities will be
presented. SPEAKERS: Brian Hillman, Director of Planning and Building Services, Town of Tecumseh and Larry Silani, Director of Planning and Development Services, Town of LaSalle  

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Concurrent Session 1.2 – Location: Hall B, Macedonian Hall Making the Case: Addressing Mental Health Concerns at Work This workshop will give an overview of the issues and prevalence of mental health issues in the workplace and how employers can meet their legal obligations to provide accommodations (usually at very low or no cost). Learn more about what to say and do when an employee is struggling at work as well as about available resources to assist employees who may need help. Participants will learn that accommodations are not only an ethical and legal obligation, but are also a win-win for all concerned.

SPEAKER: Karen Gignac, Coordinator, Mental Health Works and Community Training, Workplace Health Services, Canadian Mental Health Association, Windsor – Essex County Branch 

12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Lunch – Location: Hall A Information Fair – Location: Hall A  

Afternoon Concurrent Workshops
(Attend a session in either Hall A or Hall B)

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Concurrent Session 2.1 – Location: Hall A, Macedonian Hall DEMENTIA: AN OVERVIEW As our population ages, we are looking towards a rising tide of dementia within Canada. Learn what dementia is, and how memory loss differs from normal forgetfulness. Take away some practical suggestions to implement in your community to better serve and support individuals with dementia. SPEAKER: Rosemary Fiss, Dementia Education Advisor, Alzheimer Society of Windsor and Essex County 
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Concurrent Session 2.2 – Location: Hall B, Macedonian Hall TRANSITION TO UNIVERSITY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SPEAKER: Anthony Gomez, Assistive Technologist with the University of Windsor

2:30 pm to 2:45 pm

Break

2:45 pm to 3:45 pm

Concurrent Session 3.1 – Location: Hall A, Macedonian Hall Making Ontario’s Heritage Accessible for People with Disabilities including The Ontario Historical Society’s Accessibility Tool Kit and Beyond The Ramp – practical solutions for inclusion. The legacy of our past is kept alive at heritage properties, local historic sites, community museums and like-minded organizations across the province. It is important to make sure this legacy is accessible to all – including people with disabilities. The Ontario Historical Society, in partnership with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario has published Accessible Heritage – An Accessibility Tool Kit For Ontario’s Heritage Organizations and Institutions
to provide Ontario’s heritage, culture and tourism sectors with help in creating accessible facilities, programs, exhibits and services for people with
disabilities. Rob Leverty will provide an overview of the Tool Kit, which is designed to help organizations chart their own paths to accessibility, whatever
their scope and resources. Dr. John Carter will provide some case studies of successful accessible heritage projects. SPEAKER: Rob Leverty, Executive Director, The Ontario Historical Society and Dr. John Carter, Museums and Heritage Advisor, Ministry of Tourism and Culture

2:45 pm to 3:45 pm

Concurrent Session 3.2 – Location: Hall B, Macedonian Hall NON-VERBAL LEARNING DISABILITIES SPEAKER: Dr. Saadia Ahmad, Director of Psychology, Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital

For information on how to participate in the Fair send an email to accessibility@countyofessex.on.ca

TED AMSDEN Northumberland Today.comPoorly structured curb cuts are one concern Marty Cunningham, the newest member of CobourgÕs accessibility advisory committee.

COBOURG – The newest member of Cobourg’s accessibility advisory committee, 24-year-old Marty Cunningham, already has a couple of ideas about changes that might be needed on the accessibility front.

For him, a number-one concern is curb cuts that are not really structured to maintain the structural integrity of his motorized wheelchair.

One place on Ewing Street near the mall broke his foot plate. Cunningham was subsequently told to approach this curb cut slowly and bear to the left but
sometimes, even if he slows down to a crawl, it still catches. Anyone approaching it with any speed who is not previously aware of this might run into
problems.

Another place, a crosswalk near Notre Dame Elementary School, is where he broke his foot plate the second time.

“It was raining, and I was trying to get across the road quickly, because people fly through that intersection,” he recalled. Since then, Cunningham has
taken that curb as slowly as he can.

The first incident of damage was processed through ODSP (the Ontario Disability Support Program), he said in a recent interview. The second break was more serious and, because it occurred so soon after the first, may not be covered.

Subsequent bumps and problems have dislocated his footrests so they don’t line up properly. He said with a grin that he might wait a little longer to have
that repaired.

Unfortunately, that grin did not last long. On his way home from this interview, he broke his foot plate a third time on King Street.

The son of Dave and Rhonda Cunningham, he has had cerebral palsy since childhood.

He was originally urged to apply to the committee by his Grade 8 teacher at Terry Fox Public School Adrianna Hayden, who came into his place of work one day. At the time, he got a letter telling him there were no vacancies. Then, not long afterward when one occurred, he was contacted by Councillor Bill
MacDonald.

In spite of his experiences, Cunningham considers this a good community for accessibility, even better than some of the bigger centres like Belleville and Toronto.

“Northumberland Mall is laid out perfectly, whereas Quinte Mall’s crosswalks are not even parallel to where the sidewalk is — you have to go out on to
the road, and it’s dangerous,” he pointed out.

“For accessibility, this town is quite ahead of some places I have been.”

With some time at Loyalist College under his belt, Cunningham is considering a career in sports journalism.

That’s not surprising, given his love for the sledge hockey he played so avidly while he was growing up. He has just rediscovered the sport this past season and plans to stay involved.

In college and in sports, he has made friends with people who have a variety of disabilities, from the deaf-mute friend who has to write down his order
when he’s at a restaurant to the blind sledge-hockey teammate who relied on radio transmissions from his father for such input as where the puck was (and who was one of the team’s most outstanding players).

Cunningham says there may be a disconnect between himself and the other accessibility- advisory committee members in that he is not absolutely wheelchair-bound and is a little more adaptable (he does not rely on push-button door openers, for instance).

His aim is maximum independence, and he realizes he may not need the same helps getting there as some others. But he does have a word of advice: be visible.

“They need to get out there and show the community they want to be active. The more people in wheelchairs are out there, the more they will grab the attention of the people who have the power to make the decisions.

“Otherwise, they won’t see the need,” he said.

cnasmith@northumberlandtoday.com

Article ID# 2661259

Reproduced from http://northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2661259

-Denise Chamberlain is not tall. In fact, she is only 5 feet two inches tall. But the blind woman is certainly tall enough to walk regularly into the hanging
plants that Cobourg parks department employees have hung from banner support poles.

She says this happens with some of the hanging plants on King Street, but not as often as it does on Albert Street.

As much as a third of the large hanging planters are hanging over the sidewalk.

Chamberlain says of other visually challenged women she knows, “All the ladies in town are having trouble.”

She thinks the planters are actually lower this year than they were last year.

At one point earlier in the week, Chamberlain was so frustrated she just began ripping parts of a plant off that were in her face, thinking that she didn’t
mind if she ended up charged for doing it.

It’s difficult enough walking into the plants, she says, noting the bottoms of the planters are soft, but after a heavy rain like yesterday’s, they can
be quite wet.

The town is supposed to be making itself more accessible to handicapped people, Chamberlain says, but the low-hanging flower pots are making it worse.

As she mentioned, she is not alone in this situation. Cheryl Blodgett, who was chair of the Cobourg Accessibility Advisory Committee, resigned last week
because of the flower issue.

She wrote letters about the issue in April and May to the town.

“It’s like nobody is listening,” she says.

It’s a simple request, Blodgett says. Northumberland County adopted the London Accessibility Guidelines several years ago, she says, which establish an 82.75-inch height guideline for clearance.

“When they are wet it’s awful!” she says about walking into the flower pots.

tamsden@northumberland today.com

Article ID# 2640754

Reproduced from http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2640754

It is also something that David Lepofsky of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance said in a recent article:

“It is really very helpful to bring together people working around Ontario to make Ontario fully accessible to its over 1.5 million residents who have a disability, so that each person doesn’t have to re-invent the same wheel.”
www.aoda.ca/?p=410

From the Report

I was struck by the number of examples of best practices from municipalities and MAACs that were cited throughout the consultations. There does not, however, appear to be any formal process for documenting or making these examples available to other municipalities. In fact, the consultations for the review provided an opportunity for representatives from various municipalities and MAACs to come together to discuss how they were approaching the new responsibilities under the AODA, as well as innovative ideas their communities had developed and the challenges they were facing.

Municipalities ranging in size from large urban to small rural provided examples of innovative and comprehensive accessibility plans. I was told of one
interesting initiative from the City of Thunder Bay. Twice a year the MAAC brings together representatives from the local hospitals, colleges and universities
to share opportunities, best practices and challenges with respect to the broader public sector’s responsibilities under the ODA and the AODA.

Now that the private and not-for-profit sectors are also covered by accessibility requirements, informal local collaborative structures can support them
in meeting their new obligations. I see tremendous strength and potential for MAACs to effect change at the community level and to support the work of
the more informal advisory committees set up by many hospitals, colleges, universities and school boards, and over time the efforts of the private and
not for profit sectors. In particular, the MAACs can serve as an excellent resource for the chambers of commerce in their communities. I see this as a
key factor in supporting the province to meet its 2025 goal for accessibility, as the provincial government alone cannot effect the level of change required.

Cited from http://www.aoda.ca/?page_id=468

For more information on the Coalition of Accessibility Advisory Committees (COAAC) and its ListServe visit www.coaac.ca

NICK GARDINER The Recorder and TimesBrockville Public Library head librarian Margaret Williams, left, and Brockville Concert Band conductor Lance Besharah, right, show the plaques they received at a city council meeting on Tuesday from Brockville Municipal Advisory Committee (BMAAC) member Janet Jones, centre. Williams and Besharah were honoured for their roles in raising accessibility standards at the library and Brockville Arts Centre respectively.

Two elevators installed at the Brockville Arts Centre have provided a lift for the Brockville Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (BMAAC).

The elevators, which provide access to the stage and orchestra pit, were the brainchild of Brockville Concert Band conductor Lance Besharah, who was one of two city residents recognized by the committee on Tuesday.

Committee member Janet Jones presented certificates of recognition to Besharah and Margaret Williams, chief librarian at the Brockville Public Library.

“Periodically, we hand out awards to people who have done something significant for accessibility,” Jones told the council meeting.

Jones said Besharah did an amazing job at the arts centre, where there was some question about the need for a lift to the pit.

Getting a two-for-one deal helped convince the skeptics, Besharah told The Recorder and Times following the meeting.

He said the original project to install a lift to the stage was budgeted at $40,000. When he found out from an Arizona supplier he could get both elevators
for that amount, the deal was sealed, he said.

As a bonus, the lift for the orchestra pit allows him a better look at the concert band when he is conducting, said Besharah, who waved the baton from the
elevator during the recent production of Bye Bye Birdie.

“I was able to get up there because I’m not exactly tall,” he said.

Moreover, the lift has also been used at least twice by disabled musicians, he said.

The elevator leading to the stage is an even bigger plus, said Besharah, who used to help wheelchair-bound musicians up a treacherous set of stairs outside.

Besharah has been working for years trying to get an elevator installed, but found little interest until the recent Project Encore renovation.

“People seem to think people with disabilities don’t play instruments,” said Besharah.

He said the installation was made possible by the work of a committee, sponsors and contractors who provided volunteer labour.

“Everybody bought into it.”

Meanwhile, ongoing efforts to improve accessibility at the public library make it worthy of recognition, said Janet Jones.

“They were taking sensitivity training before people even knew what that was,” said Jones.

Chief librarian Margaret Williams said accessibility has been a priority for the library for years, out of consideration for customers and staff.

“People want to be independent as much as possible,” said Williams during an interview.

She said the elevator and ramps are obvious elements of being accessible, but the library serves many other needs as well.

That includes devices to help the poor of sight and hard of hearing, said Williams.

A Zoomtext feature, for instance, enlarges print and provides different coloured backgrounds to suit different preferences.

The feature is currently available on two computer monitors and an online book catalogue, but will be more widely offered as soon as possible, said Williams.

“We’re planning to increase the number of stations that have these features.”

Moreover, accessibility standards are always evolving, said Williams.

The elevator, for instance, can no longer accommodate some of the larger motorized scooters, she noted.

“Things have changed so fast,” she said.

nickg@recorder.ca

Article ID# 2593473

Reproduced from http://www.recorder.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2593473&auth=NICK%20GARDINER%20,%20STAFF%20WRITER

JOHN VESSOYAN Staff Photo — Enza Iovio, left, a general support service counsellor with the Canadian Hearing Society, and Russ Findlay, chairman of Welland’s accessibility advisory committee, test the new TextNet software that has been installed at Welland Civic Square.

WELLAND — Accessing information just got easier for Wellanders who have hearing impairments.

The installation of new software called TextNet at Welland Civic Square allows deaf or hard of hearing citizens to communicate with municipal government employees by using their computers instead of struggling to get their message across over the telephone or in person.

By simply logging onto the city’s website, www.welland.ca, residents can access the new software and send a message to city hall which goes directly to the switchboard. The receptionist will then read the message and direct it to the department or person who can best answer the question or deal with the issue brought forth.

Once on the website, click on the Contact link, then click on the TextNet link to start typing your message.

Russ Findlay said this new software represents great news for locals who struggle with hearing.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for three years. When you’re doing accessibility, one size doesn’t fit all. We’ve looked at different systems for
three years and we decided this was the best route to go,” Findlay said Tuesday morning.

“And looking at it this morning for the first time, it seems to work wonderfully. It’s extremely important for people in Welland who are deaf or hard of
hearing.”

Findlay, who has been the chair of Welland’s accessibility advisory committee for the past eight years, said this project was high on the group’s priority
list.

“One of the things people have to realize is that when you’re talking about accessibility, you’re not only talking about people in wheelchairs — people
in wheelchairs are sort of the poster children for accessibility — but accessibility also includes people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people who are
blind, people who are intellectually disabled,” he explained.

“You tend to forget there are other people who need services and people who are deaf or hard of hearing need to be able to access services.”

Richard Morwald, the city’s manager of recreation and cultural services, echoed Findlay’s thoughts about the software, saying TextNet will serve the public well for years to come.

“It’s very user friendly. It’s easy to get in touch with city staff and receive information,” he said.

“The TextNet feature offers citizens an alternate means to connect, communicate and interact with city hall.”

The new software cost the city $2,500.

jvessoyan@wellandtribune.ca

Reproduced from http://www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2563782&auth=JOHN%20VESSOYAN/Tribune%20Staff

Belleville’s hard-of-hearing and deaf community is getting better insight into how the municipality works.

New equipment which allows hard-of-hearing residents to listen in during council meetings and the inclusion of a sign language interpreter at some meetings will break down barriers for a large number of residents in Belleville.

Both these initiatives were included during Monday’s regular meeting as well as a special open house held for the deaf community after the council session.

Coun. Garnet Thompson, who serves as chairman for the city’s accessibility advisory committee, said the use of interpreters is not expected to occur at every meeting, but noted Monday’s session included a large representation from the deaf community. The evening’s open house also garnered a positive response
with approximately 50 people attending.

“This is really the first time we’ve taken the initiative to provide interpreters and this gives this council the opportunity to see the value of having interpreters here for council meeting,” Thompson said.

The accessibility committee, he said, is targeting areas where barriers exist and the lack of interpreters is an obvious one. He said some money has been included in the budget to provide the service, but it is difficult to know when interpreters will be needed because there is never a guarantee members of the deaf community will attend the meetings.

Susan Gudmundsson, employment consultant and job developer with the Canadian Hearing Society, applauded the city’s initiatives.

“It’s fantastic because it does support the Canadian Hearing Society’s vision of a society that is respected and has access to communication and full participation,” she said.

Gudmundsson added having interpreters at meetings will allow the deaf community to get a better understanding of the municipal procedures that take place.
She said other municipalities also offer the service and it is encouraging to see Belleville take the initiative.

Mayor Neil Ellis said engaging the deaf community is important considering the city has a large population of deaf residents due to Sir James Whitney School.

bmcvicar@intelligencer.ca

Article ID# 2551604

Reproduced from http://intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2551604

PICKERING — Doors must be open to all Ontarians by 2025, and a group of Pickering volunteers hopes to whip Pickering into shape for the Province’s goal
of full accessibility.

“They all have the right to the same quality of life that we enjoy today,” said Keith Falconer, chairman of the Pickering accessibility advisory committee.

The group of community volunteers works in an advisory capacity to council and acts as advocates for people with disabilities. Members presented their 2009 accomplishments and 2010 goals to council recently.

One in seven Ontarians has a disability, which is about 1.8 million people in total, Mr. Falconer said. That number will only increase, and the Province
plans to implement and enforce the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act by 2025.

“We’re pretty excited,” said Gwelda MacDonald-Tuttle of the group. “We’re an energized committee.”

In 2009, the group’s big accomplishments included providing key information on the AODA to Pickering residents and partnering with the Frenchman’s Bay Yacht Club, enabling kids with disabilities to sail. They also provided feedback on legislation and standards, and participated in Toronto’s forum on disability.

Its 2010, work will include providing input on Pickering’s urban growth plans, participating in Durham’s Accessibility Expo, creating an accessibility awareness day and reaching out to businesses that may be hesitant about the new legislation.

“We’re actively going to do a neighbourhood walk of hope to see if can promote accessibility,” said Mr. Falconer.

The group also wants to remind people there are many types of disabilities.

“We’ve got to look beyond the scope of just one disability as well,” he said.

Reproduced from http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/news/article/152746

Like many people who depend on Brockville’s para transit system, Mary Ann Greenwood worries it will soon be harder to get a ride.

Greenwood, whose son, Paul Murrell, 31, has tuberous sclerosis and requires a wheelchair to get around, has already had to reduce the number of times she uses para transit. She worries those opportunities will decrease even more when the city’s new para transit contract takes effect May 1, effectively reducing the number of available buses from a maximum of four to two.

“I know from what I’m doing now that I’m having problems, so what’s it going to be like when it’s cut in half?” asked Greenwood.

City officials say they are confident the new system will be able to ensure everyone who needs a ride can get one -as long as they book it at least a day
in advance.

Members of city council were less certain earlier this week, when the operations committee requested a report from staff on the matter and wondered whether this was a setback for people with disabilities.

Last month, council approved a new five-year contract with its longtime para transit service provider, Synfast Corporation, at a cost of $278,071 a year.

The new deal no longer requires Synfast to use its own buses.

Rather, the company is to use the three para transit buses the city bought for itself in 2009, entirely with money it obtained from the provincial gas tax
fund.

Under the new system, Synfast will use two of the city buses, with the third used as a backup, said city operations director Conal Cosgrove.

Using city-owned buses makes all the difference, since under the old contract, Synfast has been, at times, using all four of its buses in the city.

Synfast has two buses for the Brockville contract, but the firm also has contracts with other parties, and when one or both of its two other buses have
not been needed for those other contracts, they have been put to use in Brockville to augment the service here, said Cosgrove.

Under the new deal, Synfast is only permitted to use the two Brockville-owned buses in Brockville, said Cosgrove.

But that also means the city won’t be paying Synfast to pull in its other buses, leaving only two para transit buses running in Brockville at any given
time.

Greenwood, who lives near the Brockville and Area YMCA where her son is getting physiotherapy, said Murrell had been using para transit as often as five times a week, but even under the current system, that had to be reduced to three times a week.

Greenwood must ride along with Murrell in the bus because of the severity of his disability. She is worried things will get even tighter in May.

“It’ll be harder to get,” said Greenwood, who stressed she was speaking as a parent rather than a member of the Brockville Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (BMAAC).

BMAAC chairman Ryan Billing said other para transit users have also been sharing their concerns about the coming changes.

In his job as an employment developer at Career Services of Brockville, Billing has received calls from Synfast asking if, in anticipation of the new system, some clients might be able to get to their workplace earlier.

“We’re certainly concerned about the level of service now. Will it be hindered?” questioned Billing.

The system does not take into account issues that require a sudden trip as opposed to a concrete booking time, said Billing.

“We don’t live in a concrete world.”

Some users could end up riding con-v e nt i o na l city buses, which are equipped with lifts, said Billing.

“That’s an option that we hope people can pursue, (but) that’s also going to have an impact on the conventional system.”

Para transit wait times could become longer, including for return trips, but the new system should also prompt users to ask themselves when they truly need a ride, said Billing.

“It’s going to be a lot more onerous on the users to manage it better,” he said.

Cosgrove said Synfast’s owner and operator, Dean Humble, has been very accommodating to people who do not book rides at least 24 hours ahead as the policy requires.

“He didn’t like to say ‘No’ to anybody.”

However, under the new two-bus system -in which the city will also cover fuel and maintenance costs for the vehicles -the 24-hour rule will become a lot
more strict.

“If you call less than 24 hours, then there’s no guarantee that we can give you a ride at the time that you’re looking for.”

If people do give at least 24 hours notice, said Cosgrove, they will get a booking.

“We believe that two buses should be able to provide the service that we need to provide,” said Cosgrove.

“I guess we’re going to find out what the difference is going to be.”

Even with the extra fuel and maintenance costs, the city is expected to pay less for para transit than under the previous system, said Cosgrove.

Humble told the Recorder and Times his company has been calling some users to ask them to change their times, although the difference is in the 15- minute range.

But he declined to comment at length until the new system is running.

“We’ll cope with it, somehow,” he said.

The para transit system averages about 1,500 to 1,800 rides per month, said Humble.

“They’ll (riders) have to be flexible,” he said. “Customers are pretty good. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

At their meeting on Wednesday, members of council’s operations committee asked staff for a report on the matter after Councillor Louise Severson, council’s BMAAC representative, relayed the group’s concerns.

Severson admitted she did not expect service to be reduced when she voted in favour of the contract.

“I didn’t realize we were cutting at the time. I made a mistake,” said Severson.

“People with accessibility issues have now taken a step back, in my mind.”

Noble, who called for the staff report, said he was also not aware service was being reduced.

“I have no problem bringing this back for reconsideration,” he said.

When told a previous report merely said Synfast “will modify the level of service,” Severson was not reassured.

“Common sense tells me: you take away one (bus), it’s not going to get better,” she said.

Billing said BMAAC is drafting a letter to the city asking for a meeting with all parties concerned.

Greenwood also plans to press the issue at the BMAAC level, for her son’s sake.

“That’s one reason I’m on BMAAC, to improve Brockville for him and people like him,” she said.

ronz@recorder.ca

Article ID# 2548814

Reproduced from http://www.recorder.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2548814