Handicap parking is one of several issues our Prince George community members with mobility impairments face

By Tommy Osborne

Accessibility

With Para Nordic Games on the way, is Prince George accessible enough?

Mar 1, 2024 | 5:54 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Prince George will soon be welcoming hundreds of para-athletes for the Para Nordic World Cup Finals, but Rodney Hodgins, a community member with mobility impairments, believes Prince George isn’t accessible enough for many people.

“I think Prince George has a lot of work to be done still with accessibility. It’s getting better, but they need to improve it,” he said.

Many things that most people take for granted, such as walking down the sidewalk or parking your car, can be a significant challenge when you’re living in a wheelchair, and Hodgins hopes these issues get addressed so people in wheelchairs can get around without worrying about whether or not they will actually be able to arrive at their destination.

“The curb cuts could be better, in other cities they have metal grates to make it even with the street. And when it comes to parking, they’re not wide enough. They’re not wide enough for downtown or anything for accessible vehicles,” he said.

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“The sidewalks are kind of graded towards the road. So if you’re in a wheelchair, you’re fighting to stay on the sidewalk.”

Why are curb cuts such a prominent issue? Hodgins explained many wheelchairs aren’t completely flat on the bottom, and may have things like bolts sticking out. Because of this, it’s easy to get caught on even a slight bump, and if a curb cut isn’t properly aligned with the street, getting off the street and onto the sidewalk could be a big problem. On the topic of parking, Hodgins suggests an inexpensive and easy fix: make handicap parking stalls bigger.

“For modified vehicles, you need eight feet to get out of your vehicle.” he explains.

As for the City of Prince George, it acknowledges accessibility is an issue and is working to address many of the issues raised by community members. The City hopes you reach out to it if you notice any issues, as it says your feedback is incredibly important and helpful when figuring out what problems to address.

“When you are submitting feedback, whether that’s the work plan itself, the accessibility work plan, or you’re submitting public feedback in regards to accessibility barriers to full and equal participation in society, we have integrated this feedback into our city works asset management system,” explained Maria Paulson of the Civic Initiatives and Partnership Division.

While the City knows there is plenty of room for improvement, it has taken big steps to improve accessibility. For example, the Canfor Leisure Pool and the Jumpstart Multicourt were built with accessibility in mind, and a combined $150 000 will be going towards our facilities and parks to improve accessibility. The City also released its full accessibility work plan highlighting how it hopes to continue making Prince George a more accessible community.

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