The sun shone on some 100 people 鈥� some in wheelchairs and many able-bodied 鈥� who turned out for a rally Wednesday afternoon (May 29) at Memorial Park and on White Rock Pier.
The purpose of the event was to raise community awareness and support the Equal Access Collective鈥檚 campaign to have the city install semi-permanent accessibility matting on the uneven surface of the iconic structure.
It was also the EAC鈥檚 way of marking National Accessibility Week, which was not formally recognized by the city, even though White Rock councillors Ernie Klassen and Christopher Trevelyan were there and spoke to the crowd in support of the matting initiative, along with 性视界传媒-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford.
Halford said it was up to all levels of government to ensure accessibility.
鈥淚t鈥檚 never the wrong time to do the right thing,鈥� Halford said.
Also there, as observers, were Coun. David Chesney; Martina Rosini, constituency manager for South 性视界传媒-White Rock MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay; and former White Rock mayor, and area MLA and MP Gordon Hogg.
Mayor Megan Knight arrived at the midpoint of the rally and was briefly a bystander, although she did not participate.
(Speaking after the rally, White Rock CAO Guillermo Ferrero told Peace Arch News it would not be customary for the city to participate in such a rally unless it had been applied for as a categorized city event, which is normally done far in advance, with a list of potential events vetted by staff and submitted to council for approval, usually in February.)
Since January this year, the EAC has been asking the city to install the weather-resistant matting, designed to even out a strip on one side of the pier surface, to make it safer and easier to travel for those in wheelchairs, or with other mobility challenges.
As part of the rally, people in wheelchairs demonstrated their challenges in travelling the pier 鈥� which include uneven planking that can cause a bump sufficient to jar occupants from their chair, and problems in navigating turns, due to significant cracks between planks.
They also tested three sample sections provided by MobiMat and Access Rec, manufacturers of matting products.
Wheelchairs (supplied by MOTION) were also provided for able-bodied attendees so that they could try navigating the pier themselves and see whether the matting made a difference.
Estimated cost to the city for procuring and installing the pier matting is $115,000.
Knight, Chesney and councillors Elaine Cheung, Michele Partridge and Bill Lawrence voted against the city funding the total cost immediately at the May 13 council meeting.
They opted instead to have staff research grant opportunities to cover at least some of the cost, and to include a request for consideration in 2025 budget deliberations, which will begin in December.
Klassen and Trevelyan voted against that motion. As a result of a new notice of motion from Trevelyan at the May 27 meeting, the question of funding the accessibility improvements will return to the council agenda for discussion on June 10.
Meanwhile EAC spokesperson Susan Bains and Klassen were able to confirm for attendees at the rally that the city has now received an anticipated $25,000 grant from the Social Planning and Review Council of B.C. (SPARC BC) towards the matting.
It had been applied for by city staff just last week.
鈥淚ronically, it arrived the morning after the last council meeting,鈥� Klassen, who is also a member of the city accessibility advisory committee, told Peace Arch News.
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Bains noted at the rally that Knight is on record as saying that a $25,000 grant, such as that provided by SPARC BC, would be the linchpin for having the city fund the remainder.
鈥淥ur due diligence needs to be done when it comes to the taxpayer,鈥� Knight had said during the May 13 meeting (recorded and viewable on the city website).
鈥淎nd if I can get $25,000 toward it, and we pay the balance 鈥� we鈥檒l do it. We will do it.鈥�
鈥淭he mayor will have to live up to her words,鈥� Bains told the rally.
She also took Knight, and other members of council, to task for making city funding of accessibility improvements to the pier contingent on fundraising by groups representing those with disabilities.
Bains has previously averred 鈥� and received advice from the Community Legal Assistance Society 鈥� that this contravenes the B.C. Human Rights Code.
She said it is incumbent on cities and municipalities to ensure that civic amenities are fully accessible, unless they can demonstrate undue hardship.
Bains told PAN that 鈥渋f they were in a hearing, they鈥檇 have to show financials that they鈥檙e unable to fund this amount.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not OK that the city is asking (these) groups to fundraise,鈥� Bains told spectators. 鈥淐learly $100,000 is not a hardship.鈥�
Bains also said it was 鈥渟hameful鈥� that the city is accepting $5,750 from the Self Advocates of Semiahmoo, 鈥渁 group of people with developmental disabilities鈥� to help fund the accessibility matting.
This represents anticipated full proceeds of an upcoming sale of used clothing organized by the Self Advocates 鈥� money, Bains told PAN, that could better be used for other needs of the group.
Talking to the crowd, Bains recalled that when EAC came to council on Jan. 29 with a researched plan and many letters of support for pier accessibility, it was told 鈥�$100,000 is a lot of money for our little city鈥�.
However that same evening, she said, a majority of council (Chesney, Klassen and Trevelyan were the 鈥榥o鈥� votes) approved spending $72,000 on a report on moving council chambers to a new permanent location 鈥� and approved $500,000 for a move to a temporary location.
鈥淭his 鈥榦ur little city鈥� narrative has got to stop,鈥� Bains said, noting that, although she had given a list of potential grants to city staff as soon as she learned that she could not apply as an individual, the city 鈥渟at on it鈥� for months.
Accessibility requires a change in both physical and attitudinal barriers, she noted.
Kiran Aujlay of EAC said that a perception persists that 鈥渋f a person can be pushed (down the pier in a chair) that makes it accessible.鈥�
But true accessibility, she suggested, involves the same level of independence that others experience.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to push myself on the pier without getting caught in the planks,鈥� she said.
In thanking many in the community who have supported EAC鈥檚 campaign, Aujlay made mention of 鈥渨ell over 1,000 signatures for our petition鈥� to have the city support the accessibility upgrade.
Klassen, in turn, thanked the EAC for raising awareness of accessibility issues in the city, adding that his own awareness changed 35 years ago when his son was born with a disability.
鈥淎wareness is a conduit for change and change is a constant in this society,鈥� he said. 鈥淐hange is something we all strive to embrace.鈥�
Klassen said he also wanted to correct some social media posts that have stated that current city plans are for the matting to be installed this fall.
鈥淭hat is inaccurate,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t cannot be done this fall, because it has not been approved by city council. This has to come back to council in order for council to vote to proceed with the pier mats.
鈥淚 would invite all of you to join us at the next city council meeting and let your voice be heard that we want to proceed with the mats as soon as possible.鈥�
(Ferrero confirmed, following the rally, that staff has only received direction to continue applying for grants and to submit a request for consideration in the 2025 budget. 鈥淗owever that could change, depending on what happens on June 10,鈥� he said.)
Trevelyan told the crowd that the May 29 rally 鈥渟hould really be a ribbon-cutting.鈥�
鈥淲e should be opening it 鈥� we should be experiencing the new mats right now. Susan came five months ago with this request 鈥� it could be done by now.鈥�
He pointed out that the matting would not be only for people in wheelchairs.
鈥�(It鈥檚 for) people on mobility scooters, people with walkers, people with strollers. This is the community we鈥檙e living in.
鈥淲e want to get accessible and (make it) easy for everyone to enjoy the amenities I take for granted and many of us take for granted.鈥�
