Accessibility experience

I had to go to Service Canada and line up with the many people waiting to get in. To get in with a scooter, you need to go down the long side of the building to get to the ramp. On this day the line up was way outside. We had to wait a long time in the heat. Not everyone was very patient. When it was my turn, I couldn’t get in the building because of the crowd and where I was with my scooter, and the direction the door opened. I couldn’t do it – I couldn’t get in with the angle.

One gentleman who was waiting worked for the Red Cross and he noticed I was having trouble. He was waiting with his wife and mentioned to someone else in the line to go and let the staff know I was having a problem. This brought the staff out who opened another door so I could get in with my scooter.

When it was my turn for service, the staff came out from behind the desk so I didn’t need to deal with the counter that is too high for me to see over. The staff seemed to realise this and provided the service with me where I was waiting. They suggested I call ahead next time so they could be ready for me.

This is my fifth term with the Accessibility Advisory Committee for the Town of Collingwood. I joined because of my work at Loblaw and seeing our customers cope with so much inaccessibility. Back then if you couldn’t get into a place, you just didn’t go. I guess you were meant to stay at home.

Although businesses do follow the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) by having automatic doors, they don’t use them they way I do. The biggest issue seems to be the door access button. It is on the ‘outer’ side of the door. By the time I get around with my scooter, the door is closing. The other issue is when I am in a foyer, and after the outside door closes, the other automatic door opens toward me. I need to push the button, get out of the way with my scooter, and then enter.

I taught ceramic classes in the schools and ski clubs for 25 years. I’d have 100 kids in the class and manufactured over 10,000 different moulds for the kids to use. I also had a shop in Nottawa that sold ceramics. This was before my Multiple Sclerosis. But even then I could see the problem. Now of course I live it.

I think kids are the best. They are being taught by their parents to hold the door open. They know to hold the door open not because I have a disability, but because I am an adult. They’re being polite.