REGINA – Disabled Reginans are finding difficulties in getting around the city, especially with all the snow this winter.
“There’s not enough sidewalks cleaned,” said Don Trew, who’s been using a wheelchair for 40 years.
City bylaws require that walkways in front of commercial buildings be shovelled no later than 48 hours after the snow stops falling. But there is no bylaw for residential neighbourhoods, meaning they are not always cleared. As Trew travels around town, he finds obstacles everywhere. Even a little snow can stop him in his tracks.
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Reginans using Paratransit also encounter difficulties. Paratransit is relied on by 2,600 commuters. But it has to be booked in advance, and not everyone can get an appointment. Earlier this week, deep ruts in the roads forced several cancellations, leaving many who rely on Paratransit without a way to get around.
“The national average for denial rates of Paratransit is typically in the neighbourhood of 1.5 to three per cent. In Regina, the rate is closer to nine per cent,” said Michael Richter, executive director for the South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre.
According to Richter, the city has shut out the disabled population in its recent comprehensive transit review.
“The city has its own internal accessibility advisory committee and this committee was not at all approached during the transit review,” he said.
The city says conventional public transit is very different from Paratransit, and that the two should be reviewed separately. It has not yet, however, planned for a similar review of Paratransit. Instead, it says ongoing improvements are being studied.
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