Final approval has been given for a major improvement in accessibility for the White Rock's iconic pier.

At Monday's (July 15) meeting, council unanimously approved contracts for supply and installation of a five-foot-wide semi-permanent accessibility mat, to run the length of the pier on the east side of the walkway.

Council also endorsed a recommendation from engineering and municipal operations director Jim Gordon that the city fast-track the mat procurement and installation.

According to city communications and government relations manager Robyn Barra, work for the project is set to begin later this summer.

The accessibility mat chosen by the city, manufactured by AccessRec, is essentially the same as one currently in use on the pier at Santa Monica, California.

It is designed to add a smooth layer to the uneven planked surface that will make it easier to travel for wheelchairs, for the visually impaired and for others who have physical challenges in using the pier.

The approval was hailed by both White Rock Mayor Megan Knight, in a media release Tuesday, and accessibility advocate Susan Bains – of the White Rock-based Equal Access Collective – who had originally appeared before council in January to request the installation of such a mat.

"This project represents a significant step forward in making our iconic pier more accessible to everyone, as we continue to fundraise and seek grants for the full reconstruction of the pier," Knight said.

"I look forward to seeing the mat installed soon and witnessing the positive impact it will have on our community."

At the meeting the city also received a $2,000 cheque from the White Rock Soroptimists, specifically earmarked to help with costs of the pier mat.

Bains – who uses a wheelchair – said following the meeting she was thankful for widespread community support for the project.

"I feel immense gratification, knowing that the pier will soon be accessible, and that it will open up this wonderful attraction to so many who have been unable to (use it)," she said.

At the same time, she credited public pressure with helping take the project off the city's backburner. She also thanked fellow members of the EAC and various other organizations, and local politicians, such as ÐÔÊӽ紫ý-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford and city councillors Ernie Klassen and Christopher Trevelyan, who had supported the project from the beginning.

And Bains said she continues to take issue with the call for public and organization donations for the project, which she claims should be fully funded by the city as part of its ongoing responsibility to ensure accessibility throughout the city, despite the narrative that the city is too cash-strapped to afford a project with a ballpark cost of $115,000. 

"This initiative has been long overdue, and the entire process has shown the significant challenges we've faced," she said.

Her Jan. 29 proposal had been effectively side-tracked by a majority of council on May 13, Bains noted.

As a consequence, she and fellow members of the EAC had taken a petition calling for immediate action on the accessibility mat to the public – gathering close to 1,500 signatures.

At that point, city staff staff had been directed only to "continue researching grant opportunities for pier accessibility improvements and to include a funding request for consideration during 2025 Financial Plan discussions" – which would have delayed installation of the mat until next year at the earliest.

Coun. Elaine Cheung had also taken the unusual measure of asking staff to publicly replay footage of the January meeting, to prove that Bains had initially said she was willing to help the project by applying for grants.

Asking "what changed?", Cheung used the video as evidence Bains had switched position and now wanted the city to bear the brunt of fundraising for the mat.

Bains had countered that she had learned that, as an individual, she could not apply for grants on behalf of the city. She had, instead, forwarded a list of available grants for the proposal to city staff, but – it emerged in discussion – no further action had been taken.

The EAC staged an Access The Pier rally on the waterfront on May 29 to raise public awareness and illustrate the challenges for wheelchair users on the pier – while demonstrating samples of available access matting.

Ultimately, a $25,000 grant from the Social Planning and Review Council (SPARC BC) – which Bains had researched – along with close to $5,000 in proceeds from a sale held by the Self Advocates of Semiahmoo, provided the tipping point for council action.  

After Trevelyan requested reconsideration of the May 13 vote, a motion from Coun. David Chesney to install the mat as soon as possible was passed unanimously by council on June 10.   

The 560 feet of mat is being supplied by Epical Solutions at a cost of $81,796 (excluding GST) and will be installed by GDM Civil Ltd. for some $8,820 (excluding GST).

On Monday, council also authorized a contingency budget of $18,000 to support the project, and quickly amended the city's heritage site bylaw to authorize the alteration to the historic structure.

The latter move came after Chesney noted this would be necessary due to the site's heritage status – which Knight pointed out was a city, rather than a provincial, designation. Chief administrative officer Guillermo Ferrero suggested that amending the city bylaw would be better done immediately, rather than delaying the project further.

But, Bains told Peace Arch News, the avowals of some members of council to the contrary, the mat would likely still be in abeyance had the community not pushed for it.

"From the city initially saying they wanted to collaborate on accessibility in their public space, to later, myself being blamed for not pursuing grants on their behalf, and, finally, to a majority vote deferring this to next year's budget – public pressure (became) pivotal in shifting the course," she said.

"The fact that it took the city this long to make the pier accessible, and that they asked for donations, reflects a huge misunderstanding of their obligation to the community," she added.

"It also highlights the need for a shift in thinking, from accessibility being something that is 'charitable,' to understanding that it's something they have to do.

"If a women's washroom was needed, the city would get it done and donations wouldn't be gathered. Accessibility needs to be seen through the same lens and treated the very same way."