Mayor Rob Keffer along with members of council and Bradford's Accessibility Advisory Committee met outside at Sunshine Square in front of the leisure centre late Wednesday afternoon for a small flag raising event to recognize National AccessAbility Awareness Week.
The week was created in honour of Rick Hanson’s 1985-1987 Man in Motion Tour, where he and his team wheeled 40,000 kilometres through 34 countries, raising awareness of the potential and abilities of those with disabilities and creating inclusive communities.
Mayor Rob Keffer read the proclamation, as members stood six feet a part and listened.
One in seven Canadians have a disability, whether it be physical, developmental, visual, or hearing, with that number expecting to increase as the population ages over the next 20 years.
It is the goal of the Bradford Accessibility Advisory committee to create awareness and break down the barriers faced by those with disabilities.
Over the past year, the committee of seven have met frequently, working hard on some notable projects to help make the town’s facilities more accessible. The most recent being the revamp of the downtown core’s sidewalks, including the installation of Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) pads making it easier for pedestrians and those with disabilities to walk in downtown Bradford.
“That was a great project, taken on by all the committees,” said Deputy Mayor and Chair of the committee, James Leduc. “We’ve worked hard to make this community accessible,” he said.
In years past, when social distancing rules weren’t around, the turnout for the flag raising event has been notably larger, with more members of the community involved. Last year, a BBQ was held by the Bradford Lions Club and in the past they have had guest speakers from Simcoe County and AODA.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to learn about accessibility,” said Leduc. “It’s for us to teach people who don’t have disabilities how to react and deal with those disabilities and help people.”
The committee has recently updated their accessibility guidelines, which are in the hands of every department to adhere to when planning and building projects in Bradford.
“I can honestly say that our committee has been good at looking at issues, and moving the accessibility markers forward,” said Leduc. “We’ve accomplished a lot.”
“It’s the small things that make a difference,” added Coun. Mark Contois, who also sits on the committee, when it comes to making the town facilities and infrastructure accessible to everyone.
