Saint John Common Council heard a presentation from Ability New Brunswick at last week’s meeting.
The presentation focused on opportunities for Saint John to engage the city’s disabled community.
Executive director Haley Flaro said it’s crucial for municipalities to work on inclusivity and accessibility, especially after the pandemic.
She says individuals with disabilities were among those hit hardest by COVID-19.
“Lack of access to physical activities, poor employment prospects, lack of accessible transportation and accessible communities really compound the problem,” Flaro said. “The pandemic was not a big help in a lot of these isolated factors.”
The presentation included multiple suggestions for the city to improve inclusion for residents with disabilities, including bylaws that would prioritize playgrounds with accessible features, or to incentivize visitable housing.
“You can start with accessible parking – let’s review it and prioritize more accessible spaces,” Flaro said. “Where could we add more parking to get people back to the downtown that have a mobility condition?”
Flaro says Ability NB works with clients across all age groups, from helping families find childcare for toddlers with disabilities to a 108-year-old Saint Johner.
“She borrows our adult tricycle to go whipping around with her 75-year-old child, and she is active and I can only hope I’m as active as she is at 108,” Flaro said.
You can learn more about Ability New Brunswick and get involved by visiting their website.
