Regina councillor swears while blasting colleagues for cancelled waterslide elevator

After a decision to axe a planned waterslide elevator intended to assist kids with disabilities, a Regina city councillor had her microphone turned off as she expressed outrage about the reversal.

"How dare you take this away from the disabled community. The community that was so excited to finally go down a goddamn waterslide," Ward 7 Coun. Terina Nelson said.

“I hope you’re all ashamed of yourselves. We were going to be the first in the world [to have this] and because you didn’t build proper doorways and you didn’t build proper entranceways, now we are suffering for it," Nelson said, who's been highly supportive of the project.

At one point in the speech Nelson’s microphone was turned off, she was also warned not to swear by Mayor Sandra Masters. You can watch Nelson’s entire speech by using the player at the top of this story.

She began her remarks by saying she feels that if she disagrees with the majority of council on other decisions, something she is seeking will then be voted down.

“I’m learning that if I don’t vote for something then something gets demolished, if I don’t go this way then something gets taken out” she said.

"I am sick, absolutely sick."

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Council voted to cut the planned addition at Regina's newly renovated Wascana Pool after city administration revealed that its price tag would double from $500,000 to $1 million.

"Administration, you come back with a $500,000 evaluation for what this is and a few months later, it's a million dollars. I'll challenge that. How dare you? How dare you say $500,000 and a few months later, it's a million?" Nelson asked.

According to city administration, one of the main reasons for the jump in cost is that a building would need to be constructed around the elevator’s controls to keep them heated all year round.

Instead, the $500,000 in an accessibility fund that was earmarked for the elevator will now be used on other deficiencies found within the facility and other recreational centres.

The move comes after councillors decided against blocking off $500,000 in the 2025 budget to scrape together the $1 million needed for the elevator project.

Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins said he felt it was not right to take money away from the 2025 funds because it would mean making a financial decision for a new council, since there's a municipal election next year.

“I don’t think we should propose one way or another what that new group of councillors is going to say about how accessibility funds should be used, I just think we should leave it,” he said.

Hawkins was singled out during Nelson's fiery speech, where she referenced a stumble in council chambers.

"Councillor Hawkins tripped over the metal railing going across the staircase and I said 'Councillor Hawkins, you are that step away from being disabled.' That is karma people. That is the way this world works," Nelson said.

Council eventually voted 10-1 in favour of deciding to revisit the issue at the end of next year's first financial quarter following further engagements.

DEFICIENCIES FOUND WITHIN CITY'S RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

Jamie Hanson, the city’s manager of facilities and engineering identified there are a “wide range” of deficiencies at many Regina recreational facilities.

According to city administration, some of the deficiencies ranged from not having proper emergency alert systems for people with visual and hearing impairments, issues with entrance and exit ways, and pathway and parking deficiencies.

“I wouldn’t say they’re significant deficiencies but they wouldn’t meet today’s standards,” Hanson said.