een nen en nnn ne ies eee eee oe eens ss eee IIE EE Accessing Terrace Disabled people face barriers, writes Yvonne Nielsen. If you remove the barrier, you remove the handica » By YVONNE NIELSEN WHAT IS access? Access means the ability to enter, approach, communicate with and pass to and from. What is accessible? Access- ible. means. capable: of being reached, easy to approach, being able to- communicate with. A person with a disability nor only has to live with his or her disability, but also has to deal with barriers. “Disability” is. defined as the persons’ physical make-up. “Handicap” is defined as the phy- sical or attitude barrier. A wheelchair user is handicap- ped by stairs but if an elevator or ramp is “available there is no handicap, therefore no barrier. Once the barrier is removed, the: handicap is removed. The per- son is still disabled. bul the bar- tier is now removed. If you think about it, the word “handicapped” is no longer ac- cepted and no longer exists. - People shouln’t say handicap. A better word is “barrier”. -Here’s another example, One thing people ‘say all the time is “handicapped parking’. But how ‘can it. be called “handicapped parking” when parking is now ac- -eessible for that person with a dis- ability: and that barrier is re- - moved?’ . When people say - “Handicapped parking" thal means there still is a barrier. But if-you think about it, the correct saying should be “disabled park- ing” “because the barrier is re- moved but the person is still dis- abled.’ , To be accessible for all is to remove barriers. ea Not all disabilities are seen. Some-are hidden disabilities, such as being hearing impaired. ‘Acquired Traumatic Brain In- jury (ATBI) and cognitive disabi- _ lities are also hidden. When communicating with a - pésOa With ‘a’ disability, focus on HAC te" petsdn cial dol ‘not on © what they can’t. Show patience when interact~- ing-with people who have a com- munication disability or ATBI. _ Everyone deserves respect and has ‘the right to do whatever it “takes to improve their quality of - life. People with a seeing eye dog have the same rights to go places as anybody else. ERE EE This article will briefly look at Uneasy riders: ma p, making Terrace more a YVONNE NIELSEN says not all disabilities are seen - like hear- ing impairments or Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury or ATBI. four areas of access awareness: transportation, education, recrea- tion and housing. Transportation Terrace finally received the long awaited low-floor transit buses. The two brand new busses began operation in March 2002. The buses are wheelchair-ac- cessible and can kneel to the curb, In the case of no curb, the bus kneels and a ramp is extended out onto the side of the street. If you have any concerns, sug- gestions and want more informa- tion about the buses, call Coastal Bus Lines at 635-2666. M@ Terrace also has a Handi- ‘Dart bus service; but you have ta ‘be: registered in order to: use: it. @ There’s a HandiDart Taxi service for registered users. For more information, call the above number. Are you planning to travel by airplane? Whatever your disabil- ity is, here are some hints on how to make your travel arrangements a little easier, When booking your travelling plans, have a list of concerns ready. Are you in a wheelchair? Do you have a physical impair- ment? Will you need assistance? Bus passengers still face a long walk to the mall ‘It won't be much fun in winter time.’ By JENNIFER LANG TRANSIT RIDER Cathy Baxter says she was disappointed to learn that a new landscaping strip around. the Skeena Mall parking lot seems to have been designed without bus passengers in mind. Baxter said many passengers prefer to cut through the parking lot because it’s shorter than walk- ing along the sidewalk to the mall’s main entrance. But taking that short cut is a little more difficult now for people _ using canes, wheelchairs or scoo- ters.and even shoppers loaded down with bags because they'll have to walk across a landscaping strip and shimmy past a hedge. “T have no quarrel with them smartening the place up,” she : said, but she’s puzzled why the shortcut wasn’t turned into a pro- per pedestrian pathway — especi- ally since the city’s new buses are designed to accommodate people - with mobility problems. “They're going to have to go all the way around to the access _ at either end [of the parking fot],” ~. Baxter said. “It's OK if it’s a nice ‘sunny day, but it won’t be much fun in the winter time.” City official David Trawin said ‘neither the city nor the mall wan- ted to encourage pedestrians and bus passengers to cut across the parking lot because il’s dangerous — they could be hit by a vehicle. “fn my mind it would be ludi- ‘grous to allow an access for people in wheelchairs when that would be putting them in the mid- dle of a parking lot,” he said. Instead, two gaps have been left between the hedges planted next to the bus stop in case people continue to walk through the parking lat. “We're acknowledging that we don’t want them to damage the plants,” he added. The mall’s landscaping renova- tions are part of a deal that al- lowed Overwaitea Foods to ex- pand its premises and turn into a Save-on-Foods store. In addition to landscaping, the mall was also been asked to widen the access lane in front of Save-on-Foods, creating a safe vehicle drop off point for passen- gers. Phase three of the mall’s park- ing lot renovations take place this spring, when the sidewalk on the main road access from Lakelse will be widened and the pedes- trian access to the mall’s front en- trance will be improved. “They will be able to get direct access to the mall without having to wheel through the parking lot if they’re taking the bus or are com- ing from off-site,” Trawin said. BEER People using wheelchairs are asked to have the assistance of an altendant to guide them onto the bus when the bus stops of uneven or unpaved road surfaces because Do you need specific meals? For example, when J] book a flight, my file states 1 need assis- tance at all airports. That means I need to pre-board the plane. ! need the use of a cart ai the Van- couver Airport. At airports that don’t have a cart, | use a wheel- chair, ae I request 4 seat on the left hand aisle seat so I can stick out my right leg. My file also states that I need specific food, so I request a low-sodium meals. All of this information is put on your file and stays with you on your whole trip. This makes travelling easier. Education Parents of students: from Kin- dergarten to Grade 12 should talk to school officials about the dif- ferent needs their child. M@ That includes discussing with teachers, staff, the schocl hurse and anyone else who will be involved with the student what kind of adaptive equipment is needed and what modification is required. ; M@ The parent should also in- form and educate the teacher about the child’s disability, This way, if the child has be- ccessible for all. haviour problems the teacher can deal with it. WM Students in classes should be educated aboul various disabi- lities in order to gain more under- standing, College and. university students with disabilities ‘should contact the disabled services coordinator before classes begin to discuss what services are needed. It's also very important to educate the co- ordinator and instructors about your situation. At Northwest Community Col- lege in Terrace, contact the Ac- cessibility Services Coordinator, Services at the Terrace campus include: M Accommodation ~ a wide range of male and female’ dorms equipped for students with physi- cal disabilities, M@ Equipment — A wide range of equipment is available, such as touch talker computer, brailller, just to name a few. M@ Program Support — such as extended time to write or even talking books. M The college has made de- signated parking spaces available for people with disabilities. @ Washrooms are also equip- ped with grab bars and other ac- cessible features. Recreation The city of Terrace has a Re- creation Access Card that allows people with disabilities up to 50 per cent off the cost of most parks and recrealion programs and ser- vices. These cards are only avail- able with a referral from your doc- tor or physiotherapist. When starting a recreation pro- gram do your homework first, and talk to instructors to find out what accommodation, modification, and adaptive equipment is avail- able for your needs. Housing For housing to be accessible, modifications need ta be done. Each modification will be differ- ent for everyone — it depends on what their degree of disability is. For example, some people may need ramps, wide doors, lower light switches and windows that are easy to open. BEHES You use whatever it lakes to improve your quality of life, These are only a few suggestions on how to be accessible to all. After allt, everyone deserves respect. Yvonne Nielsen is a person with Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury. the angle of the ramp is steep. Drivers have been instructed to assist people if necessary. But they’re also keeping an eye out to see which bus stops are proble- matic. The regional district is consid- ering putting cement pads for wheelchair passengers at unpaved bus stops. When the new Dennis Darts are being serviced, they’re re- placed by old transit buses, which aren't wheelchair accessible. If you have mobility difficulties or yau’re a bike rider wanting to use the bike rack on the bus, you're advised to call the transit line at 635-2666 to check if your route is being served by.a Dennis Datt. , The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - AS CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag Whose the radical? Dear Sir: My, my. What a nasty reaction from the radical preservationists, (letters from David MacKinnon and from Bruce Hill, The Terrace Standard, Oct. 23). Evidently my call for balance between ecology and economy and to give the Bradfield Road a fair hearing must have touched a nerve. You gotta wonder what these guys are really protecting. Is it actually jobs? Is it the environment? Or could it be their cushy funding arrangements with US foundations and labour groups. The $100,000 in economic activity that these froups claim to invest is pretty small compared to the minimum of $9 billion (yes, billion) in lost economic activity to the northwest over the last 10 years thanks to the work of these radicals. That’s a lot of jabs down the toilet, and these are not just resource-based union jobs either. The public sector is feeling the pinch too as declining population in the northwest is driving teacher and public service layoffs. Having done extensive surveys in the Iskut Valley, I can attes! that there are no real environmental issues there. The argument that jobs will go to Alaska is straight bull so the only thing left for these extremists to preserve is their own funding. No wonder they react so strongly to any publicity. Like video game marketers, people like Mr. Hill and Mr. MacKinnon need a new model every year in order to ensure their funding. Whatever mine, road or power project comes along naturally becomes their tafget,; whether or not there are any real environmental issues. I’d rather make up my own mind about the merits - of individual projects and not have my opinion discounted by radical leftists. Lorne Sexton, Terrace, BC The poor are suffering Dear Sir: Readers may have noticed recent media stories about the increasing demands at food banks in the region and elsewhere in B.C. it is not surprising because being on the margin of sociely has been petting harder. Recent changes to income assistance legislation are making it harder to get help when you need it. In the last 18 months the government has repealed a section of the act which allowed people to apply for additional funds for specialized health care goods and services that were not covered in the regulation. Then there was a reduction in the welfare support rates by $50 a month for single parent. Child support payments are deducted from welfare. The earnings exemption of $100 per month to get people started in the workforce is gone. Next, the assistance for work force entry and transition to work was cul. No longer would there be any help if you needed a pair of safety boots ot some _ Special clothes as requirements to getling the job. Gone are all the supports for someone to get into the workforce. The ministry sometimes provided up to $4150 for up to 12 consecutive months for a family with a dependent child to offset the costs incurred due to employment , for transportation and daycare. If a doctor determined you needed a high protein diet for health reasons one could apply for an - additional $40 a month but that is no longer available. On Sept. 30 the new welfare and disabilities legislation took effect. Within the new B.C. Employment and Assistance Act is a requirement for applicants to have two consecutive years of paid employment history before being eligible for income assistance, And if one needs help there is now a three week wait to apply for income assistance. During this wait the applicant must actively look for work and must fend for themselves. They get nothing for food and shelter. New legislation for persons with disabilities has changed the criteria for a disability, Persons with disabilities must reapply for their benefits. Some may feel ambivalent about all this and still others believe that the marginalized are authors of their own misfortune. Food banks deal only with the symptoms of the problem. We just passed the thanksgiving season and it might be worth remembering that all the above changes were preceded by the government giving an average $6 tax cut to the poorest 625,000 British Columbians and an average $25,000 tax cut to the top 8,000 income earners in B.C, Helmut Giesbrecht, Terrace, B.C. Clean up the hospital Dear Sir: I recently read of a couple of parents who want to have for children’s art-type pictures or cartoons etc. to decorate walls in maternity and children’s wards at Millis Memorial Hospital. A great ideal I believe though, first and foremost, our hospital needs urgent and radical redecorating and much better cleaning attention. Mills Memorial is in a dispraceful state. The walls and floors are dirty, unkempt and battered. The air conditioning must harbour solid bacterial and viral infections from ceiling to floor. Most clients, myself included, are discharged with added cold and respiratory disorders from the hospital air. Surely, patients and staff new and old would appreciate a better atmosphere, and want to stay or work inside the institution, I don't believe union job descriptions and staff shortages should be blamed. Yes, funding is needed, also supervision and accountability. Perhaps the hospital administration should contact some of our benevolent organizations for funds to cover renovation costs. Many previous government grants have been spent in areas other than patient care departments. Edna Jensen, Terrace, B.C. About the Mail Bag The Terrace Standard welcomes letters. Our address is 3210 Clinton St., Terrace, B.C. VBG 5R2, You can fax us at 260-638-8432 or e-mail us at standard@kermode.net. No attachments, please. We need your name, address and phone number for verification, Our deadiine is ‘noon Friday or noon Thursday if it's a long weekend,