Several Calgary attractions and facilities to be improved for guests with special needs

Heritage Park will be receiving approximately $450,000 from the federal government to build a new accessible car for its iconic steam train. (Supplied)

Funding from the federal government, announced on Wednesday, will be building new opportunities for those with special needs to enjoy some of Calgary's best attractions.

Minister of Northern Affairs Daniel Vandal, the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, says Ottawa is investing more than $3.4 million for 13 community projects in the city.

"A vibrant and healthy Calgary isn't just important to Alberta – it's absolutely essential to Canada and to our national economy," Vandal said during the announcement at Calgary's TELUS Spark.

In the announcement, the federal government included money for a number of initiatives to improve access for guests with special needs.

Among those are:

• $200,000 for Arts Commons at its Calgary facility;
• $94,305 to renovate the second floor of the Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta's Life without Limits centre; and
• $438,750 for Heritage Park to build a fully accessible antique railway car.

Vandal says the projects will ensure that Calgarians of all abilities can enjoy modern amenities that have been disrupted for so long by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The projects we are announcing today will bring community spaces to life and reinforce Calgary's reputation as a world-class city in which to live, work, create and connect," Vandal said.

'ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS'

Heritage Park says the government funding will help staff build an entirely new rail car to include on one of the park's most popular activities.

"Our train system is one of the highlights of our guest experience," said Lindsay Galloway, president and CEO of Heritage Park in a statement.

"This funding will allow our visitors with mobility issues or disabilities to be able to experience the thrill of riding the steam train."

The park isn't releasing any more details about what the car would look like or any sort of features it could have, but says it will likely be built from the wheels up.

Officials also say they're looking forward to a new season in the spring, especially when guest attendance at the park last year was well off the mark set previously.

Heritage Park says 321,896 people visited the park in 2021. Pre-pandemic, the facility saw closer to 600,000 guests.

It's scheduled to reopen on May 21.

GRANT ALLOWS FOR MORE SAFETY

The government money is also doing some good for the patrons of local organizations that work to help those in Calgary's disability community, such as the Cerebral Palsy Association of Alberta (CPAA).

The CPAA says the grant will allow it to move ahead with improvements to the second storey of its Life Without Limits Centre, a facility that supports persons with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers.

The work includes:

• Installation of non-slip vinyl plank flooring that make it easier for those in wheelchairs to move;
• Retrofits for accessible washrooms;
• Building an accessible kitchen that provides space for wheelchairs and countertops at appropriate heights;
• Improved lighting for the visually impaired;
• Repainting common areas to reduce overstimulation; and
• Installing glass doors and panels to allow staff members to see clients clearly at all times.

"The project is driven by input and observations that the CPAA have gathered from building patrons over the years," said Cindy Turnquist, the CPAA's director of development and communications, in a statement to CTV News.

"This includes individuals in the disability community and their caregivers, staff and board of directors, some of whom are individuals with disabilities; and the public, as the CPAA rents this space out to other organizations or individuals."

Further information about the CPAA and its work can be found online.