National Access Awareness Week

North Bay Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee
News Release

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May 27 to June 2, 2007 is National Access Awareness Week in Canada. It’s a week for all of us to celebrate the achievements by, and for, persons with disabilities, and to think about how we can make every part of our communities more accessible.

The tradition of focusing the last week of May to promote better access for persons with disabilities began in 1988. Rick Hansen came up with the idea, after he completed his 40,000 km Man in Motion World Tour. Since then, communities all across Canada have celebrated National Access Awareness Week each year, honouring accomplishments in accessible transportation, housing, employment, recreation, education and communication.

When barriers are removed, all of us have the same opportunity to take part in the everyday activities that most of us take for granted like working, shopping and recreation. A barrier-free community is good for everyone. For example, putting a ramp at a curb helps someone using a wheelchair – but it also helps parents pushing strollers.

There are lots of ways to make spaces and places barrier-free. They include providing information on CDs and in large-type formats (like this Media Release), placing seating in waiting areas and making online job recruitment websites accessible for everyone.

A number of Awareness Week activities have been planned by the Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee. They include:

A Static Display on the Main Floor of City Hall;
A Public Information and Awareness event scheduled for 12:00 Noon on May 29th at the new accessible City Transit Terminal located at the corner of Oak and Wyld Streets(general public is welcome to attend);
A Mayoral Proclamation declaring the celebration of National Access Awareness Week in the community.

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