Accessible Kamloops – fact or fiction?
KAMLOOPS — We have spent the past week talking about Access 4 All. It’s all about showcasing some of the things we’re doing to make Kamloops more accessible for those who have difficulty with accessibility. And in particular, the reopening of the newly accessible Grasslands Loop. This trail has been made more accessible for walkers, those in wheelchairs and it’s a great improvement for our City.
Over a period of time, Kamloops has become much more accessible for people with disabilities. But we’re certainly not there yet. People who have respiratory or heart conditions could use more benches on some of these trails and on some of our fields to make it possible for those people to enjoy them.
Some people can only walk short distances before tiring, and need to be able to sit. Some just cannot stand for very long because they have joint or spinal issues. Many people can’t take stairs, so it’s important that even short flights of two or three stairs have railings for people to grab onto. Even with a cane, stairs are impossible for some unless they can pull themselves up.
We’re doing better at making handicapped parking available, but it’s obvious that as people grow older, and more people survive accidents with modern medical technology, we need even more of these spaces. We’ve done a lot to provide opportunities for those with disabilities to stay in their homes longer. We have the snow angels to help seniors with snow removal, we have services for people who need their grass cut.