Calgary councillor asks for improved accessibility around popular pop-up patios
Calgarians with or without mobility issues are taking to social media to point out flaws with some of the temporary sidewalk setups around pop-up patios.
“They’re not leaving enough room to give the wheelchair a chance to turn on the end of the ramp,” said Athena Cooper, who uses a motorized wheelchair.
Cooper came across a ramp on Kensington Road N.W. at the end of May which wasn’t easy to access and tweeted her concern.
“My concern when I posted it was that are people aware that you know this is an issue. You can’t just lay a ramp down and say, ‘Okay we’re now accessible.’”
Cooper said there are accessibility guidelines that should be followed to give enough space around the ramp. There are also large gaps between sidewalks and ramps in other locations.
Since Cooper voiced her concern, there are now asphalt ramps on either end of the the stretch of Kensington Road between 10A Street and 11 Street.
The city says 195 patios have popped up this year, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Permits for 25 more are in the queue.
It’s received six complaints so far about accessibility issues around the patios.
“It was introduced very quickly so the response was urgent and perhaps not executed with a lot of knowledge around accessibility,” said Ward 7 Councillor Druh Farrell.
Farrell said patios add vitality to streets and has long been an advocate for temporary patios, but says the city can do better moving forward.
“What I would like to see is when you put up a patio, test it out. Bring a wheelchair down and try it out and see whether or not it works. We’ve got partners with the advisory committee on accessibility who are willing to advise us as well.”
Farrell has just brought a motion forward to address accessibility issues along with other transportation concerns.
“I think its just the temporary nature has been problematic but we need to set down clear rules. If you want a pop-up patio, then let’s keep that pedestrian access clear and straight so it’s predictable and navigable for people with all sorts of disabilities,” she said.
Farrell points to other cities that have a patio culture and notes the pedestrian part of the sidewalk is kept clear.
“It shouldn't be a surprise when you walk down the street to find out that the sidewalk is blocked. We know that we can do better.”
The city said it actively working to make its temporary patio set ups accessible to all users.
For locations where space is tight, the city has been looking at alternatives such as restricting parking on the roadway.
Anyone who has a complaint about the accessibility of pop-up patios should contact 311.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.