Financial help for installing accessibility matting on the White Rock鈥檚 pier may be on the way.
On May 23, City of White Rock CAO Guillermo Ferrero confirmed that the city was submitting a grant request to the Social Planning and Review Council of B.C. (SPARC BC), which could fund up to $25,000 of the projected $115,000 cost of procuring and installing the matting.
Later that day, the Equal Access Coalition鈥檚 Susan Bains and Coun. Ernie Klassen (who, as a private citizen and parent of a person with disabilities, is a member of the city鈥檚 accessibility advisory committee) received confirmation from Louise O鈥橲hea, SPARC BC鈥檚 chief operational officer, that the grant application had been received.
While the amount of the grant was not discussed, Bains said O鈥橲hea had confirmed that SPARC BC 鈥渋s rushing this application off along with all the support letters and confirmed that the City of White Rock should have a cheque by next week.鈥�
Meanwhile, at council鈥檚 May 27 meeting, Mayor Megan Knight announced that the city would be accepting a contribution from the Uniti-sponsored Self Advocates of Semiahmoo 鈥� which includes, and represents, many with disabilities in the community 鈥� toward installation of the accessibility matting.
The funding commitment, some $5,750, anticipates total proceeds from a Self-Advocates鈥� sale of secondhand clothing, which will be held June 22.
Also at the same meeting, Knight accepted a notice of motion from Coun. Christopher Trevelyan to reconsider council鈥檚 May 13 decision concerning the accessibility matting, for discussion at the next council meeting (June 10).
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got two more weeks to work on getting some more grants and money coming in 鈥� that鈥檚 great,鈥� Knight said.
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At the May 13 meeting, a majority of councillors had declined to approve up to $115,000 in funding right away, as had been recommended by the accessibility advisory committee.
Instead council had voted to direct staff to continue researching grant opportunities for pier accessibility improvements and to include a funding request for consideration during the city鈥檚 2025 financial plan discussions.
Only contrary votes had come from Klassen and Coun. Christopher Trevelyan, both of whom had argued that the city should fund the accessibility upgrade immediately.
Ferrero told Peace Arch News last week he could not give a precise timeline for installation of the matting.
鈥淚鈥檓 not saying it鈥檚 going to be 2024 or 2025,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t could happen fairly quickly 鈥� we don鈥檛 know,鈥� he said, adding that following council鈥檚 instruction to research and apply for grants, other funding will be pursued.
鈥淚f grants are there, we want to take advantage of them,鈥� he said.
He also noted there are other factors that could determine how soon the matting could be installed.
鈥淧robably, like everything else, we鈥檒l have to go through a procurement process,鈥� he said, adding that the matting would likely have to be custom manufactured to fit the length of the pier and to meet other specifications.
(Editor鈥檚 note: an earlier story on the accessibility matting had incorrectly identified Klassen as chair of the accessibility advisory committee.)
