Brantford presents accessibility awards at metropolis council assembly

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Concord United Church is the recipient of a Metropolis of Brantford accessibility award.

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The church, at 268 Marlborough St., is a group hub that has gone above and past to make its facility extra accessible, mentioned Colleen Goupil, chair of the Brantford Accessibility Advisory Committee.

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“Recognizing that bodily limitations as soon as restricted participation, the church added an accessible washroom and construct a ramp to attach the sanctuary to the social corridor,” Goupil mentioned. “These considerate upgrades have enabled individuals with mobility challenges to totally take part in every little thing from worship providers to cultural festivals.

“Concord United Church has proven what it means to construct not only a facility however a group that welcomes everybody.”

Goupil offered the award to church representatives Betty Vipond and Gail Simpson. It was certainly one of a number of accessibility awards offered at Tuesday’s assembly of metropolis council.

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Introduced throughout Nationwide AccessAbility Week (Could 25 to 31), the awards acknowledge an individual, group or group making a big contribution to accommodate these with disabilities.

“We’re excited to acknowledge the 2025 Accessibility Awards Winners, together with well-deserved acknowledgements for quite a few metropolis employees,” Jenny Sawicki, town’s accessibility coordinator, mentioned in a press release. “Every of the honourees has demonstrated a powerful dedication to empowering people with disabilities by work and infrastructure upgrades that allow larger independence and helps enhance general high quality of life.”

Awards had been additionally offered to Greg Wilson, Andrew Nielsen, Spencer Moore, Christian Bean and town’s visitors division.

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Wilson, the proprietor of William Avenue Eyecare, was nominated within the constructed setting class and acknowledged for making his optometry apply extra accessible. Situated in a historic 1911 residence, the clinic has undergone many upgrades through the years.

In 2024, Wilson launched an accessible examination lane for sufferers who want to stay of their wheelchairs. As properly, the constructing’s elevator was upgraded to supply higher lighting and smoother operation.

Nielsen, who lives with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, was nominated within the info and know-how class. He’s an advocate for these with disabilities and a champion for accessibility. He has raised greater than $165,000 for Easter Seals Ontario and labored with skilled sports activities groups to deal with accessibility limitations of their amenities.

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Moore, a health teacher on the Wayne Gretzky Sports activities Centre, was nominated for breaking down limitations to make sure all people can totally take part in health, recreation and group actions.

Bean, town’s supervisor of building, was nominated for his distinctive dedication to enhancing accessibility. He performed an essential function in guaranteeing metropolis paperwork are Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliant. As properly, Bean ensures metropolis infrastructure tasks meet accessibility necessities.

The town’s visitors division has carried out quite a few measures to enhance pedestrian entry and mobility for people with disabilities. The measures embody 75 pedestrian crossovers, 100 accessible pedestrian sign buttons and 119 pedestrian countdown timers.

The awards presentation included a video of Mayor Kevin Davis and councillors Rose Sicoli, Mandy Samwell and Linda Hunt taking part in simulations that gave them a way of the experiences of these with a incapacity.

The video A Day within the Life – Understanding Accessibility in our metropolis – may be seen on town’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/person/cityofbrantford.

Vball@postmedia.com

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