Exploring Your City with Access2Entertainment!

Have you heard about the Access2Entertainment Program? The Access2 program was created by Easter Seals Canada in 2004 to provide persons with a disability an opportunity to go out with an attendant without worrying about additional costs. Once you apply to the program you will receive a card (Five-year expiry date) with your name which you just need to show at various entertainment venues across Canada. You can go to their website for a full listing on where the Access2 program is accepted.

Source: easterseals.ca

The Access2Entertainment program has enabled me to enjoy going out to recreational activities and entertainment with my family and friends locally without worrying about payment. For example over the summer my friend and I went to the newly built Ripley's aquarium of Canada in Toronto, where we only had to pay for the price of one ticket for admission. We had a great time seeing all the amazing sea creatures. I also enjoy watching movies, so I usually use the access2 card when I go to Cineplex where I once again pay for one ticket and the attendant is free. If you have not applied for one yet, you should do it today. It's a great program!

For additional information about the program: Click here

Vacationing With A Disability

Source: Alaska Air

Hi this is Connie again.  You may remember me from the article I wrote on this blog about Direct Funding for personal care for people with disabilities.  Right now I would like to give you some information and tips on vacationing and travelling with a disability. First of all I would like to mention that Direct Funding does allow up to three weeks a year for vacationing and travelling with an attendant even outside the province and country.

There are many organizations and agencies, including, travel agents, out there specializing in planning and accommodating people with disabilities.  There are also many articles written by people with disabilities on their trips to various locations (for example, Abilities Magazine). March of Dimes Canada is a great organization for offering holiday packages (including: transportation, hotel, accommodation, day/night excursions, and personal care) within the province, country and abroad; camping holidays within the province; and day trips within the province and city.  Access2Entertainment is another program in which one can obtain a membership card allowing his/her attendants to get free access to different entertainment venues and theatres throughout the country while accompanying the person with the disability (for example, the CN Tower).

There are also various discounts and services available from transportation groups within this country, like Air Canada, Via Rail, and of course private accessible transportation vehicles or taxis both for travelling within a province or state and city.  Many boats and cruise ships are also accessible to people with disabilities.  All Canadian airlines offer free airfare to any destination within Canada to an attendant travelling with a passenger with a disability.  Air Canada also offers a half price discount to the ticket of an attendant travelling with the person with a disability outside of the country.  Upon completing a medical form Air Canada offers you total assistance from checking in your luggage, to using the airplane aisle chair, to being escorted through baggage and out the airport upon arrival to your destination.  Via Rail which travels to many Canadian cities also offers free travel tickets to an attendant accompanying a person with a disability.  Once within the destination of your choice para transit or bus or accessible taxi can easily be accessed and often discounts,  like ADA discounts in the U.S., or discounts for attendants can be given; however, making these arrangements along with any necessary applications should be done well in advance of the travel date.  You may also want to consider travelling with a folding manual wheelchair for easier access to a vehicle without a lift or ramp.

Prior to arriving at your destination you must ensure that your accommodation, for example, a hotel is accessible to the standards that you need.  In the U.S. major hotels are required by law to ensure that a wheelchair accessible or ADA room meets all necessary standards, for example, roll-in showers, elevated toilet seats, grab bars, wide doorways, etc.; however, in whatever country you are travelling in it is always a good idea to describe to management what you are looking for before booking the room.  You can also inquire if you can bring additional items of your own, like portable lifts or bed grab bars, or if they can be rented out from a place nearby the hotel.

The two most recent trips I took were to Lake Muskoka and New York City.  The Lake Muskoka trip was on a steamship and was a trip arranged with fully accessible accommodations for all events by March of Dimes.  The day trips and holiday vacation packages arranged by March of Dimes, although fairly priced, can be costly because all travel, accommodations, and excursions are arranged by them to include accessible access and can include attendant care (for the holiday vacation packages).  To be more cost-effective, you can plan trips as outlined above, as I did for my New York City trip. You will find that travelling within the U.S. to be very accessible because of their ADA law and disability discounts for you and your attendant are often offered in many entertainment venues that you can inquire about.  Wherever and however you do decide to travel you will find it a very worthy endeavour and a chance to learn more about the accessibility of different societies.   

RV's Streetcar Adventure!

I made two trips on the new streetcar, both were on Sundays when I expected the crowds to be less.

Trip 1: I boarded the streetcar at Spadina. I then headed southwards, disembarking at Spadina and Dundas. I re-boarded after two hours and went further to Union. From Union I took the subway home.

Highlights of my first trip: The main thing was that it all worked quite smoothly. The only difficult moments were: 1) disembarking from the streetcar on the ramp. I felt the incline was too steep. 2) I disembarked in the middle of traffic, which is what all passengers do. However able-bodied passengers are able to walk across the traffic signal when the lights favour them. In my wheelchair I found I had to wait 2 or 3 lights to get a break and feel safe enough to cross. The general speed to cross in a wheelchair is slower than on pavement, because of the embedded metal streetcar tracks. I should think that people in manual chairs will find it more difficult to cross the road in time.

Trip 2: I boarded the streetcar at Union heading northwards to Spadina. Halfway through the journey at Spadina and King, the streetcar developed problems and the driver announced that it was going out of service. We all had to disembark and he left in an empty streetcar. The able bodied passengers boarded the next streetcar and went on their way. I was the only person left waiting on the street. It was a cold Sunday evening, and a uniformed TTC employee informed me that no other accessible streetcars would come that way since it was getting late on a Sunday evening. He offered to ring up Wheel-Trans and get them to come and pick me up. I waited about 30 minutes, but no Wheel-Trans showed up. The TTC  employee then asked me to cross the road and go to the other side and wait for a return streetcar which was soon to arrive. After an hour after the first streetcar, the second streetcar came and I headed back to Union station.

Positive comments: On the first trip I disembarked at Chinatown which I had not seen in several years because of the lack of previous accessible routes. Since it was Sunday, the crowds were less and I was able to easily navigate the sidewalks and even managed to find a suitable restaurant which had accessible doors. I am hoping that more establishments will make themselves barrier-free as more streetcars become wheelchair accessible and more customers show up who need accessibility.

Negative comments: Getting stranded in the middle of traffic. Although the TTC employees did try their best, the whole process took longer than it should have. Therefore I do not think the streetcar is a suitable method of transportation for any person who has an appointment to keep, especially if you cannot simply take the next vehicle that comes along.

Also as I said earlier, a manual chair will present more issues than a powered wheelchair, especially for travel in winter using the streetcar. The internal controls are all geared to people who are sighted and any person with a visual impairment will find it difficult to disembark at a particular stop. Right now the TTC people are friendly and attentive and I hope this remains the case even when the new gen streetcar has become more common.

Adventures in Scotland!

For those of you who are thinking about traveling to Scotland, and are worried about the level of accessibility, there is no need. Scotland is VERY accessible.  It is so much more accessible than Toronto is.  A few years ago, I went on a vacation to Glasgow and was extremely pleased.  In this article, I will outline all the things that I was impressed with.

First of all, all of the sidewalks are ramped.  You never have to worry about going on the road or popping a wheelie to get onto the sidewalk.  Also on the sidewalk, when you are getting close to the curb there are little bumps.  I asked why they were there.  I was informed that the sidewalk was made like that to let blind people aware that they were getting close to the curb. The only thing people have to be careful of is walking on them in they are wet.  Some of them are brass so they get extremely slippery when they are wet.  Even the wheels on my wheelchair slipped when I went over them.

Secondly, everywhere you go, an accessible washroom is not hard to find. If there is not an accessible stall within the washroom, there is a separate accessible one right next door.  If it is a separate one, it is like a room.  It is very spacious so a person in a wheelchair has plenty of room to get around.  In most washrooms in Glasgow, there is a red cord you can pull in case of emergency.  If a person is by himself or herself in the washroom and something goes wrong (if they fall), they can pull this cord and someone comes to help them.  And when the sign says accessible, it means accessible. The washrooms are not like here when they say they are accessible when in reality they are not. The toilets are at the right height, the toilet paper dispenser is at the perfect height and easy to reach. The sinks and soap dispenser is low so you don’t have to strain yourself to reach it.

Lastly, the transportation is unbelievable.  In Toronto, when you want to go somewhere, you have to call ahead to get a ride, whether it be Wheel-Trans or a cab if need be.  In Scotland, ALL of the taxis are accessible.  Like Toronto, there are mini-vans in Scotland.  However, they have regular sized taxis that are accessible.  That’s right, anyone in a wheelchair can be on the side of the street and hail a taxi and not have to worry.  So, if you have to be somewhere in a hurry, there is no need to panic.  You don’t have to call ahead and order an accessible cab ahead of time. The other form of transportation that is more advanced than Toronto are the buses. Anyone with a mobility issue can get into a bus.  The floor lowers and a ramp comes down.  The only thing I would caution is that there is nothing there to tether you in place.  You are on your own.  The last form of transportation I was extremely impressed with was the train.  I went on a train ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh.  To gain access to the train itself, there is a portable ramp available.  Once you enter the train, there are special places designated for people in wheelchairs. Again, the only thing I would caution is that, like the buses, there is nothing there to tether you in place.  However, unlike the bus, the train ride is extremely smooth so it is unlikely you would move.

So I will say it again, anyone who is thinking about taking a trip to Scotland, there is NO need to worry.  They are very much more ahead of Toronto as far as accessibility goes. I would highly recommend people take a trip there.  Even though I travelled with my family, I would not hesitate to go there by myself!

2014 Metrolinx Accessibility Public Meetings

Source: Metrolinx.com

During the month of November, Metrolinx will be hosting the Accessibility Public Meetings. These meetings are similar to the TTC Accessible Forum back in September, allowing you to share your ideas on how Metrolinx and its operating divisions, GO Transit, PRESTO and Union Pearson Express, can make it easier for people with disabilities to travel around our region.

The last Metrolinx Accessibility Public Meeting was held in 2012, and the feedback from the public and Metrolinx responses can be viewed here under Appendix A. The topics covered ranges from the general design of the stations to the visibility and audibility of information.

We will be there covering the meetings. If you have any questions you would like us to bring up, leave a comment below!

There will be four public meetings this November:

Central – Toronto: Wednesday, November 12, 2014
One-on-one discussions: 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Public meeting: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m

Metro Hall - Rooms 308 and 309 (third floor)
55 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6

Closest GO Transit station: Union Station - Train or Union Station Bus Terminal
For local transit schedule information, visit TTC

East – Whitby: Tuesday, November 18, 2014
One-on-one discussions: 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Public meeting: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m

Abilities Centre - Theatre/Multi-Purpose Room (second floor)
55 Gordon Street, Whitby, ON, L1N 0J2

Closest GO Transit station: Whitby GO Station
For local transit schedule information, visit Durham Region Transit

West – Oakville: Tuesday, November 25, 2014
One-on-one discussions: 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Public meeting: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m

Oakville Town Hall - Oakville and Trafalgar Rooms
1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON, L6H 0H3

Closest GO Transit station: Oakville GO Station
For local transit schedule information, visit Oakville Transit

North – York Region: Thursday, December 4, 2014
One-on-one discussions: 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Public meeting: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m

York Region Transit Office – Corporate Learning Centre
50 High Tech Road, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4N7

Closest GO Transit station: Langstaff GO Station
For local transit schedule information, visit York Region Transit

If you are interested in attending a meeting, please RSVP by sending an email to accessibility@metrolinx.com, or call 1-888-438-6646, or 1-800-387-3652 (TTY teletypewriters only).

Accessibility Adventure at 2014 Fan Expo Canada

This was my second year going to Fan Expo Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on August 28-31. Fan Expo is one of North America's largest fan experiences featuring Comics, Sci-Fi, Horror, Anime, and Gaming. Last year I dressed up as Cat Bus, a character from my favorite Miyazaki anime, My Neighbor Totoro, which was a lot of fun.

I was not planning to go this year because last year I had to pay for both me and my friend, and it can be hard for persons with disabilities to pay for two people. This year when I found out that Fan Expo decided to allow attendants/caregivers free complimentary admission to attend the convention with a people with special needs I immediately decided to go. It also helped that stars from my favourite movies and TV shows were going to be there including the Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood and Matt Smith from Doctor Who.

My friend and I found there were more people with disabilities than last year, and that means there needs to be some improvements to make the experience better.

What needs to improve:
1. Elevators: There were long line ups at the elevators especially in the South Building and people who may have used the stairs or escalators were using the elevators as well. There has to be someone directing traffic at the elevators.
2. Wheel Trans drop off: It was hard for Wheel Trans to stop on the street, especially when dealing with the coach buses from the Blue Jays game. Fan Expo and Metro Convention needs to let Wheel Trans drop off and pick up in the roundabout at the South Building entrance.

What worked well:
1. Photo Op Area: The volunteers were friendly and guided me to the front of the line of where my photo op with Elijah was taking place.
2. Auditorium for Panels: The auditorium where the Q&A panels with Elijah Wood, Matt Smith, and Arrow's Stephen Amell was perfect. The area was spacious for people in wheelchairs, and the volunteers guided my friend and I up to the front where we could see well.

After four fun and tiring days at Fan Expo, it was well worth it. Everyone should experience it at least once. All you need to be prepared for is dealing with large crowds, which my friend and I have become professionals through previous experiences with other conventions.

Rail Trip to Ottawa: Trains, Being Canadian and Hockey!

UPDATE Sunday, October 5th:

We're now leaving Ottawa. The Blueline Taxi in Ottawa is convenient requiring only 30 minutes in advance booking for a wheelchair accessible taxi, it may be because the city is much smaller. The design of the taxis is that wheelchair customers sit in the trunk and I didn't like it since it's much bumpier. I'd recommend the Hampton Inn Ottawa on Conventry Road especially if you're taking the train up since it's less than a 5 minutes car ride away, and for those that may require a roll-in shower there may not be one available at the hotel so check in advance. If you need to rent any additional equipment, Motion Specialties Ottawa would be able to help, we ended up renting a portable hoyer lift which they dropped off and picked up for us. Besides Blueline Taxi, the OC Transpo is accessible, my brother ended up taking the OC Transpo shuttle service to the train station, as there were major bridge construction this weekend. From his experience on the shuttle the buses are fully accessible.

Overall Ottawa is very "governmenty" as the capital of Canada, I'd recommend you to visit Parliament Hill and ByWard Market (not fully accessible) just down the street.

Friday, October 3rd:

The day started off early and we were off to the train station at Union Station. Once we arrived we waited in the VIA Business Lounge before boarding the train. The reason why we were able to access the lounge is because there is typically only one power wheelchair tie down seat in the business class.

We were eventually led down to the train platform and the usher pulled up a portable crank lift which amazed me. The train ride was bumpier than expected and I had to use the washroom but was concerned about the bumpiness. At the Kingston Station stop we quickly made our way to the "accessible" washroom which I barely made it into with my brother. Since we couldn't close the door my mom had to block the view while I completed my business in business class.

I enjoyed the scenic views of Ontario lakes and saw some animals along the way. In business class we were catered to and I had the tilapia which was pretty good. And the staff were friendly and helped us on and off the train professionally.

When we arrived at the Ottawa train station, the Blueline Taxi arrived on-time, however, even though the customer service rep said we would be able to fit a commode chair along with my wheelchair, the taxi driver was unable to accommodate. My brother ended up walking the hotel from the train station with the commode, thankfully it wasn't too far of a walk.

Once we settled in, we decided to go to Parliament Hill it was a sight to see where the Centennial Flame also resides. I was amazed at the architecture and how it was built. What I really enjoyed was the design of the library and the scenic view of the Rideau River.

From there we walked to Byward Market, it reminded me of St. Lawrence Market and ate Mexican food. After a quick bite, we took another Blueline Taxi to the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata for the pre-season game between Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. The arena is quite accessible, and we sat the 300 level looking down onto centre ice. I wasn't use to looking downward but got into the game as the arena was packed with Sens and Habs fans.

Today we're off to a wedding!

Rail Trip Adventure to Ottawa!

Earlier this spring we were on a road trip to the USA and Bahamas, and now our family is off on another adventure! We weren't able to secure a wheelchair accessible rental vehicle this time, so we decided to take the train with VIA Rail. We will document our short adventure here!

My trip to Indianapolis

This summer I took a road trip to the USA. The main reason was to attend a conference in Indianapolis for people living with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), or brittle bones. It was my third conference with the Maryland-based Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation. 

My trip actually began in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where my parents and I spent the night before going to Chicago, Illinois. The most notable thing about Kalamazoo is that it is mentioned in a famous big band song by Glenn Miller, called “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo.” Needless to say, I did not get a gal in Kalamazoo. I did however have a good meal at Applebee’s and a restful night’s sleep at the hotel we stayed at.

The following day we drove to the north side of Chicago for a baseball game between the Cubs and the Colorado Rockies. The game was played at the historic Wrigley Field. At 100 years old this year, Wrigley is one of the last of the old ballparks still standing. I enjoyed the experience of being at Wrigley Field. It was a dream come true for me to watch a game there, and right at centre field. Wrigley is accessible as can be, despite the fact that it is old and not designed for accessibility. All visitors with disabilities require assistance getting on and off the lifts, because they cannot be operated easily.

What I liked most about Wrigley Field, aside from seeing a baseball game, was the friendly staff. They were eager to help anyone, and didn’t hesitate to greet people with a wave and a smile. The Cubs won the game 4-2.

Donald inside Wrigley Field in Chicago

Getting in and out of Chicago wasn't as fun due to bridge congestion on the south side. It was worth seeing Chicago again for the second time in my life. The long waits in and out of the city were worth it.

Late that night we arrived in Indiana. The conference began the following day, a Friday. At the opening address, the guest speaker said Indianapolis is one of the most accessible and disability-friendly cities in America. I put that theory to the test throughout that weekend.

A few hours before the conference started, I went on one of the city’s buses operated by the IndyGo transportation service. I wanted to explore the city by venturing outside of the downtown area where our hotel was located. IndyGo requires all wheelchair users to be tied down when boarding a bus. That was the best part of going on one of their buses. The worst part of the ride was making frequent stops on a ride that should have only been 20 minutes long. I decided instead to go back to the hotel. What I discovered, however, was that some of the streets do not have sidewalks. This made crossing the road dangerous and scary. Fortunately some kind residents guided me along to the other side of the street. I arrived back to the hotel safely by bus.

I love going to OI Foundation conferences because it keeps me updated on the latest research on OI, and also gives me a chance to reconnect with other people who live with this condition. It also provides opportunities to meet new people with OI and their families. It is estimated that this year’s conference drew in 800 participants. Though most of them were from the U.S, there were other people from Canada who attended. I also learned there were visitors from England, Denmark and Norway, giving the conference some international representation.

One of the highlights for me was meeting Robby Novak, better known to the world as the Kid President. He’s a 10-year-old boy from Tennessee who posts inspirational pep talks in a series of videos on YouTube and Facebook. He is just as lively and energetic as he presents himself in his videos. When I met him, I let him know I am a fan. (Robby, along with his sister Lexi, has OI.)

Donald meets the Kid President

In-between conference events I explored some of downtown Indianapolis. This included a unique bike and pedestrian pathway at a park across from the hotel. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is eight miles long, and promotes accessibility to people with disabilities by including the wheelchair symbol along its paths. The pathways opened to the public in May 2013. 

One of these paths leads into the White River State Park. This park includes several attractions, one of which is the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Headquarters and Hall of Fame. We stopped in briefly to look around, but didn't stay for any tours. It is an impressive-looking building I think most sports fanatics will enjoy.

We took in a baseball game between the Indianapolis Indians and the Toledo Mud Hens. The OI Foundation sponsored the game played at Victory Field. A bonus that evening was getting to see the visiting San Diego Chicken, the Padres’ mascot! This popular major league mascot visits several minor league ballparks during the baseball season, with Victory Field being one of his favourites. The game went into 10 innings. Fortunately the Indianapolis team won 4-3!

Does this former Indy ballplayer wear his sunglasses at night?

The conference concluded with an awards dinner and dance. The foundation also announced that the next conference will take place in Orlando in 2016. I hope I can make it to that one.

As for my informal assessment of Indianapolis as a disability-friendly city, I believe it is a welcoming and inclusive city. The people I met were all friendly and I sense that the city has applied the Americans with Disabilities Act effectively, with more improvements to come. Though it has some shortcomings, particularly with the absence of some much-needed sidewalks, Indianapolis is impressive overall. I’m glad the OI Foundation picked it as the site for its 2014 conference.