Calgarian with mobility issues disappointed city is not taking accessibility in neighbourhoods seriously
Llano Gorman uses an electric scooter to get around but says everyday tasks are tough to do in his southwest neighbourhood Glendale Meadows because it isn't fully accessible for people with mobility issues.
“I still cannot get from here to my pharmacy or to the place that I go grocery shopping.”
Gorman said he is often forced to ride on the street.
CTV News spoke to Gorman last June when he said he had reached out to the city and area councillor to request more wheelchair ramps be added to sidewalks. One year later, he says nothing has changed.
“They refuse to fix these small things through the neighbourhoods until it’s time to fix the whole area.”
Gorman wants to see the city prioritize the smaller projects across the city which could have a big impact for disabled Calgarians.
“I would like the city to take responsibility and start doing the menial things that need to be done in the city instead of these really fancy-dance projects that they have going, because those are billions of dollars,” said Gorman.
NUMEROUS REQUESTS
The Glenbrook Community Association has also put in numerous requests to the city.
“What we have in the community right now is a very disjointed, disconnected network for anyone that needs to use ramps, especially for mobility issues,” said Murray Ost, president, Glenbrook community association.
“We get a lot of the same communication back to us, it’s either a budget issue or a time issue, and it does not seem to be a priority within the City of Calgary to get these items done.”
Ost said when there are new redevelopments, then sidewalks are updated but can’t recall seeing an older sidewalk updated recently.
“They’ll do a couple ramps in certain intersections one year, might be a couple years and they’ll do a couple again.”
Murray said he would like to see a more proactive approach and plan from the city.
MONEY IN BUDGET
Last June, the city said there was money in the capital budget to construct new wheelchair ramps in 2020.
A city spokesperson said an updated number on how many were constructed or how much money was used wouldn’t be available to provide CTV until next week.
Ward 6 councillor Jeff Davison said he has heard concerns about accessibility issues.
“Looking at a plan going forward one of the challenges we have to truly strive to make Calgary one of the most accessible municipalities across North America," he said. "We’ve got to plan better to do that.”
Davison said requests that come in for wheelchair ramps are evaluated.
“We have quite a backlog across the city as you can imagine of areas where we have a great need for mobility improvements and so we tend to let administration put that in a process by which they go out, evaluate it and get the work done, but we only have so many people,” said Davison.
The city said any requests for a ramp on a street corner or a marked crosswalk that fall outside of the annual program will be actioned on a priority basis, budget permitting.
“The city will also review wheelchair ramp requests on public property in front of a private residence or business. If approved, the property owner will be solely responsible for the construction and installation costs of these wheelchair ramps."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.