Region awards accessibility champions in honour of International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Whitby, Ontario –December 3 is proclaimed as International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) in Durham Region. In honour of IDPD, The Region of Durham has awarded nine local champions the Accessibility Award. This award recognizes their dedication to removing barriers and making the Region more accessible for people of all abilities.

Each year, the local Accessibility Advisory Committees (AACs) nominate individuals, businesses or organizations based on their efforts in identifying, removing and preventing barriers for individuals living with a disability.

A video showcasing the accessibility champions and their work to make their communities more accessible can be viewed by visiting durham.ca/accessibility.

2022 Accessibility Champions

Town of Ajax

Barb Dowds was an Ajax AAC member from 2010 to 2022. Throughout her tenure on the Committee, Barb served as Committee Chair for several years. Barb led numerous accessibility initiatives in her community, including conducting facility site assessments, reviewing site plans, and helping staff set up mobility device obstacle courses at the bi-annual Library Accessibility Fair for children. Barb was an exemplary advocate for people with disabilities and her thoughtful work touched many people’s lives. Barb’s efforts proved what can be achieved through collaboration to identify and break down barriers with the goal of equitable access for all municipal services and programs.

Township of Brock

The Brock Township Public Library is a three-branch system with facilities located in Sunderland, Cannington and Beaverton. Throughout the pandemic, the Brock Libraries have shown their dedication and commitment to accessibility for their patrons and community members. They quickly and seamlessly responded to meet the needs of their community by pivoting to online programming, which included virtual children's story times, curbside book pickups and Wi-Fi hubs for public use. The Brock Township Public Library continues to play a central role in meeting the educational, informational, cultural, recreational, health and social care needs of their community. The vibrant team at the Brock Libraries continues to create welcoming and inclusive programming, which honours and celebrates diversity.

Municipality of Clarington

Kingsway Hardware owner, Naveed Chico Khan, is known for providing exceptional customer service at Kingsway Hardware in Clarington—particularly to those who have mobility issues or use mobility devices. Customers can call the store from a parking spot outside the business or go to the customer service desk to request their items and have staff bring the items to their car. Many residents say that although the store itself is not barrier-free, the owner, Naveed Chico Khan, goes out of his way to assist people and make their shopping experience easier. Mr. Khan’s consideration of the needs of his community continues to bring people together in creating lasting friendships at their reliable one-stop shop.

City of Oshawa

The Back Door Mission for the Relief of Poverty, with the support of Simcoe Street United Church, began Project Mission United when it opened available spaces to be used as a collaborative and centralized service hub for people living unsheltered or marginally housed with limited access to essential supports. Project Mission United is a low-barrier access hub for essential services, social supports, and primary health care. This project provides wraparound client support services to individuals in Durham Region who are experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, mental health and addiction concerns, and food access challenges. The dedicated team at the Back Door Mission for the Relief of Poverty continue to create a safe and welcoming space for everyone looking for a warm meal or a caring friend to talk to.

City of Pickering

Peter Bashaw was appointed to the Pickering AAC in 2013. Peter was a high-performing member who has passionately advocated for accessibility in the areas of accessible housing and expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Peter’s wisdom, judgement, technical expertise, and networking skills have been invaluable to the City of Pickering. Peter continues to advocate for his local community in many ways and enjoys the art of painting.

Township of Scugog

Two Blokes Cider owners Matthew Somerville and Andrew Paul incorporated the Scugog AAC’s comments into the plan for Two Blokes Cider. This included an accessible pathway with a minimum width of one-and-a-half metres, having the entire structure at grade level to allow accessible access, and incorporating automatic doors to the facility and washrooms. Two Blokes Cider has created a gathering place for the community with sustainable farming practices at the centre of it all.

Township of Uxbridge

The Uxbridge Lions Club is committed to creating spaces that are accessible for families of all ages and abilities so that everyone can participate together. They embarked on an ambitious project of creating a universal playground at Elgin Park. They hope that by making the park universal, it will improve accessibility to the park for the entire community. The new park will incorporate sensory music play and opportunities for individuals, of all ages with differing abilities, to enjoy the space together in nature exploration, while enjoying a playground with wheelchair accessible features.

Town of Whitby

WindReach Farm’s LEARNING-4-LIFE adult day program redefined creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person programming was not possible. WindReach Farm adapted its program to connect with participants virtually to offer barn and local attraction visits, art projects and movie afternoons. Programming is now back on-site at 85 per cent capacity, welcoming many new faces to the program. In 2022, they expanded the program to add a second cohort Monday through Friday, to reach more adults of all abilities in Durham Region and beyond. Their wheelchair accessible wagon rides on the farm bring guests on an engaging sensory experience to take in the peaceful and expansive landscape, which is uniquely accessible to those who use mobility devices.

Durham Region

Mike Roche served on the Durham Region AAC from 2004 to 2022, the Durham Region Transit Advisory Committee, as well as the site plan sub-committee where he offered insights on accessibility for several key projects. Mike shared learning opportunities with his co-members and supported the Committee, Regional Council and staff in identifying, removing and preventing barriers to accessibility. Mike played an important role on the team to advocate and raise awareness on issues that impact people with disabilities in our community, improving the quality of life and participation of everyone who calls Durham Region home.

Quotes

“As we recognize International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I wish to extend my congratulations to all the accessibility champions. They have provided inspiration and continue to raise the bar on accessibility in the region. Durham Region remains committed to identifying, removing and preventing barriers. By working together to make our community more accessible and welcoming, we create a stronger region where everyone can live, work and succeed.”

- John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, The Regional Municipality of Durham

“Improving accessibility throughout the region is critical to building a healthy, inclusive and age-friendly community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. It is with great honour that we congratulate this year’s 2022 Durham Region Accessibility Award winners and acknowledge their excellence in service and commitment to accessibility in our community.”

- Allison Hector-Alexander, Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Read this article on the Region of Durham's website.