'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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.