'We can be proud': Regina city council unanimously in favour of improving city's accessibility
Work to improve accessibility in Regina will move forward after unanimous approval from city council that will see a plan address issues from snow removal to transportation and employee training.
In all, the initiative known as the Regina Accessibility Plan, includes 17 recommendations on how to make the Queen City more approachable for everyone.
“This isn’t just a little bit of people, this is 30 per cent of the community,” mother Sarah Turnbull said.
Turnbull’s five-year-old daughter Blake uses a wheelchair. Blake is a familiar face at City Hall and is someone who has advocated for a more accessible city on numerous occasions.
Blake’s mother says her daughter faces daily challenges that even include using playgrounds around the city – due to wood chips or sand surrounding them.
“I like rubber parks,” Blake told city council.
City administration said the goal of the accessibility plan is to identify, remove and prevent barriers to participate in civic life.
For 2024, the city set aside $100,000 for the plan.
Ward 7 Coun. Terina Nelson has been an outspoken advocate for a more accessible city and said council needs to prioritize funding and budgeting for the project.
“This is what makes everybody in our community feel welcome,” Nelson said. “It’s a huge milestone and a step forward.”
Nelson also challenged her fellow council members to spend a day using a wheelchair to gain further perspective.
“You don’t know what it’s like until you’ve been in their shoes,” she said.
The challenge was something Mayor Sandra Masters believed more than a few would be willing to try.
“At the end of the day, it’s much more important we invest in what is being recommended,” Masters said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has ‘uphill battle’ to prove he’s not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.