By Justine Kelsie

Volunteers sought to experience the city from a wheelchair

Apr 2, 2018 | 3:02 PM

Once a year the Regional Director for Spinal Cord Injury Alberta seeks out volunteers to experience life in a wheelchair. 

In the past, people like City Manager Bob Nicolay and City Mayor Bill Given have participated in the program. Mieke de Groot encourages City Councillors, city engineers, and the general public to jump on board to become a Chairleader. 

“What we are looking for is people that are interested in spending a day in a wheelchair so they can discover on their own what the barriers are for people that use mobility equipment,” said de Groot. 

From spending the time with the equipment around the city, de Groot says people usually learn what type of obstacles wheelchair users come across in their everyday life. 

“They can discover whether or not their workplace is wheelchair accessible. How does that impact their interest in hiring someone who has a disability? What are some of the resources that somebody can access without a wheelchair that they can’t get into?”

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She points to downtown design as something that has been shaped with mobility equipment in mind. Larger curbs and bulb-outs make it safer for pedestrians.

One specific day hasn’t been locked down for the project, but de Groot says anyone who wants to get involved can contact her at the office to get set up with a wheelchair.