White Rock council has voted unanimously to have an accessibility mat installed on the city's pier.

The mat, which has been called for by advocates for people with disabilities since February, will help smooth the uneven plank surface, which poses a safety issue for those in wheelchairs, and others facing mobility challenges, including the visually impaired.

Although city chief administrative officer Guillermo Ferrero cautioned council that the timeline for the installation will be subject to the usual request for proposals (RFP) process with potential mat suppliers, which could take some three to four weeks — and will require another vote from council to approve the final choice — it's evident that the mat should be installed, if not by this summer, then later this year. 

The decision came at Monday's (June 10) meeting, on Coun. Christopher Trevelyan's request for reconsideration of a May 13 vote.

At that time a majority of council had directed staff to "continue researching grant opportunities for pier accessibility improvements and to include a funding request for consideration during during 2025 Financial Plan discussions" — direction which would have effectively delayed installation of the mat until next year.

The move to install the mat as soon as possible came from Coun. David Chesney.

"I'll put forward the motion .. .that we immediately proceed with allocating the funds to put the matting on the pier this year and not wait for the 2025 budget," he said.

Council will use the recent $25,000 grant received from Social Planning and Review Council of BC — plus some $5,000 estimated revenues of a June 22 sale of clothing by the Self Advocates of Semiahmoo and other forthcoming grants mentioned at the meeting by several council members — with the city making up the balance of the estimated $115,000 cost from hold-back infrastructure funds at its disposal.

Earlier in the meeting council heard from Susan Bains of the Equal Access Collective,  who uses a wheelchair, who said that a petition her group had started on May 16 â€“ three days after the earlier council decision — calling for "immediate action towards accessibility on the pier,"  had gathered some 1470 signatures, digitally and in hard copy.

She said many were acquired during their Access the Pier event on May 29 and during the June 8 Seniors Expo, hosted by ÐÔÊӽ紫ý-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford and Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond. 

She said notable endorsements were received from former White Rock mayor, and area MLA and MP Gordie Hogg, former ÐÔÊӽ紫ý mayor Dianne Watts, B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon and Bond, shadow minister for Health, Seniors Services and Long Term Care.

"The message is clear, the public have spoken — council needs to act now," she said.

She noted a commitment from Mayor Megan Knight at the May 13 meeting to utilize city funding for the project, dependent on securing the $25,000 grant from SPARC B.C.

She said receipt of this grant "now places the onus on council to fulfill this."

She added that both potential mat vendors have offered assurances that delivery can be accomplished within a three-week time frame, with installation requiring "less than half a day."

Following the council decision, she told Peace Arch News that it came as the result of "unwavering perseverance, and amplified awareness generated by the media, coupled with overwhelming community support garnered through our petition.

"It was truly a testament to 'fight for your right,'" she said.

Some council members, emphatic that they had never opposed installation of the mat but had simply been keen to explore fundraising and grant options to offset the cost to taxpayers, were at some pains to mention hitherto un-discussed sources of funding at Monday's meeting.

"I have myself, personally, reached out to a few organizations as well, and I believe I'll be able to announce who they are and how much it is at the next council meeting," said Coun. Elaine Cheung.

"I also have been working very hard to fundraise for the accessibility mat to keep costs down for our taxpayers," said Coun. Michele Partridge. "I have great news — Soroptimist International of White Rock is donating $2,000 towards the mat, plus I've reached out to another community service group for more funds, so we might even get more coming very soon."

Coun.Bill Lawrence said that during his attendance at the recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention in Edmonton, he, too, had done some lobbying for funds for the pier mat.

"I was able to talk to a national organization who has shown some very good interest, at least, in helping us out in funding for this mat," he said.

"There is another entity — which I'm unfortunately not able to name ... but they are ready, willing and able to also provide some funds for this, ... so I think the added time to be able to search for these opportunities helps out our own city taxpayers by reducing their burden." 

But Coun. Ernie Klassen, while he thanked other members of council for taking a second look at the pier mat, did not waver from the line that he has followed from the beginning of discussions about the proposal in February.

"While I don't want to rain on any parade, I do need to say that I don't believe that fundraising was ever the appropriate way to fund this mat. I believe the province last year gave us $5.5 million which does not come from White Rock taxpayers money — it was a gift granted to us and I believe that we should have been using some of that fund to pay for the mat," he said.

"It feels from an advocate's perspective, who (has represented) people with disabilities for the last 40 years, that it is somewhat inappropriate to be doing something â€” that the city should be looking after â€” on the back of charity," he added.

"From my perspective only, it feels like we're taking a step backwards in time where we're asking people with disabilities to go back to being 'handicapped' people (a word that originated more than) 100 years ago when people with disabilities were sitting on a sidewalk with a cap in hand, begging for money.

"I will support whatever way that we receive funds, however I don't believe that this is showing that White Rock truly values people with disabilities as equals."  

Also at Monday's meeting, council approved a staff recommendation to replace the city's existing accessibility committee (an internal staff committee, with resident member input) with a select accessibility committee, including two members of council as chair and vice-chair.

In a report to council, human resources director Kari Laing said it had been found that "many of the challenges being discussed at the staff committee meetings have policy and budget implications. ... It would be more effective if this subject was addressed by a council-appointed select committee."

Council unanimously endorsed Knight's choice of Coun. Christopher Trevelyan as chair and Coun. Michele Partridge as vice-chair of the new committee.