Man in Motion pleased by legislature accessibility reno
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/03/2018 (2198 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Rick Hansen couldn’t even get into the Manitoba Legislative Building during his Man in Motion tour in 1987, but Friday, he settled smoothly into Premier Brian Pallister’s place on the government front bench.
Not so long ago, you’d have to go down a few steps to get to that seat.
However, Hansen said this wasn’t about getting his wheelchair anywhere he wanted to go on the floor of the chamber, it was about any disabled child knowing he or she can become premier, a cabinet minister, a backbencher, the Speaker or a member of the clerk’s staff.
“This is a huge step forward, this is a very accessible environment,” the founder and chief executive officer of the Rick Hansen Foundation said, as Speaker Myrna Driedger took him on a tour of the refurbished chamber.
“This is really fantastic.”
Hansen was delighted to see the ramps and railings that allow him to get anywhere on the chamber floor don’t stand out from the heritage grandeur.
“This is historic. You know what’s really cool? This doesn’t look like a traditional rail. If this was stainless steel, it would look medical,” he said.
Driedger showed off the citation from Heritage Winnipeg for maintaining the chamber’s heritage appearance following the access renovations.
“I want to fill this (hallway) wall with awards, so people will be inspired,” she told Hansen.
Manitoba has proven no one can use heritage appearance as an excuse not to make a facility accessible, Hansen said. “You’ve proven it can be done. It’s a call to action for the next generation of people with disabilities to be political leaders.”
Hansen will be returning to Winnipeg soon to formally request the province partner with his foundation to make Manitoba a pioneer in developing and promoting standards of accessibility.
That doesn’t just mean wheelchairs, Hansen said. Hearing issues are the fastest-growing disability, especially among baby boomers.
“It’s expanded to a variety of disability challenges: arthritis, Parkinson’s (disease), vision,” he said.
Manitoba is a natural place to develop global standards for access, he said. Awareness among the disabled got a big boost in 1967 during the Pan American Games, with its events for the disabled, Hansen noted.
Hansen recalled he and Canadian cancer research advocate/icon Terry Fox would talk about being inspired by Winnipeg’s Pan Am Games, when they played wheelchair basketball together in Vancouver.
The Man in Motion tour was a wake-up call, Hansen said.
“The province was a bit embarrassed. I and other citizens couldn’t get into this building. There was a commitment made. The expectation in the ’80s and ’90s was to get into the building and be a passive participant,” Hansen said.
“People realized it wasn’t just about access, it was about inclusion.”
nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
History
Updated on Saturday, March 24, 2018 7:16 AM CDT: Edited