Council has approved its first Accessibility Plan, which includes over 30 identified barriers and 20 actions designed to make Penticton more liveable and accessible for all residents and visitors.
“Council is extremely pleased with the work of the Accessibility Task Force and we thank them for their efforts to create a blueprint that will guide our accessibility work,” says Mayor Julius Bloomfield. “Together we are better prepared to identify and remove barriers and create a community where every person is able to participate and enjoy daily life.”
The actions are broken down into four categories:
“The Accessibility Plan is detailed, pragmatic and reflects the experiences of those who have lived and living experience in navigating accessibility challenges,” says Jamie Lloyd-Smith, the City’s social development specialist. “Now we begin transforming the recommendations into reality and delivering on Council’s priority of a more a liveable and accessible community. This is a living document that will evolve based on continued public feedback.”
Council has also approved the establishment of an Accessibility Committee that will review progress quarterly and provide an annual progress report.
Earlier this year, Council appointed a nine-member Task Force to develop an Accessibility Plan that would identify access challenges and actions needed to remove or prevent barriers to the City’s services, facilities and public spaces. The Accessibility Task Force was made up of community members with diverse backgrounds, with experience or knowledge in accessibility challenges.
A detailed copy of the Accessibility Plan and related information can be found on the City’s Accessible City webpage - in a variety of accessible formats – at www.penticton.ca/our-community/living-here/accessible-city.
The Task Force also highlighted the importance of ongoing community engagement regarding accessibility barriers. Two feedback forms – one to report barriers and one to comment on the plan - will remain available for people to report concerns about access challenges, which can be found on the Accessible City webpage or can be picked up at City facilities.
Public feedback will be collected by the City’s Social Development Department and shared with internal staff and the Accessibility Committee that will be created to monitor progress and support implementation.