A B.C. man was excited to spend the afternoon enjoying the outdoors but was unable to reach the end of the White Rock Pier due to accessibility issues.
Peter Foran, a wheelchair user for 12 years, ventured out to the pier on Nov. 27. It's something he tries to do at least once or twice a week, being a local of the city.
He wanted to check out the accessibility mat that was installed on the pier in August, and catch the ocean views at the end of the boardwalk.
“As I started to cross the tracks, it was a little more daunting than I was expecting. There's large gaps between the rails,” he says.
He managed to get to the pier but had to stop after 25 feet.
“I was getting a thump, thump, thump,” he recalls.
HHis wheelchair has six wheels; however, even with good suspension, Foran’s head was shaking back and forth.
"I wasn't going to be able to make it to halfway down the pier, let alone to the end, and so I turned around.”
Foran’s son filmed his father on the ramp showing how much shaking the mat was causing.
“Until I saw a video of myself on it, I wasn't aware of just how I was being jolted around,” says Foran.
Foran hopes his experience can help shape the mat to be even better.
“I was excited that I was going to get to the end of that pier and feel like I’m out in the ocean,” he says. “I was not upset, I was a little disappointed.”
He believes there’s a simple solution of adding some flat sections underneath.
"Keep this simple. It's a wonderful idea. There are lots of elderly people in White Rock who want to go down that pier. Let's just make it a little easier for them to get down the pier,” Foran tells Glacier Media.
Jackson Dionne, president of the Canadian Disability Resources Society, says access is a right, not a privilege.
“It’s disheartening to see public infrastructure remains inaccessible to individuals with mobility challenges, especially in a space that is meant to be enjoyed by everyone,” says Dionne. “They did their best to make it accessible."
Dionne says what Foran faced was unfortunate and not unique.
“It points to a broader systemic issue that affects people living with disabilities,” he says.
Jim Gordon, director of engineering and municipal operations with the City of White Rock, says staff used input from the city’s accessibility advisory committee to aid in research solutions and eventually recommended the same mat that is used on the Santa Monica Pier.
"Staff continue to monitor the mat usage, which overall has been met with positive feedback,” says Gordon.
Foran is not criticizing the initiative but wants to find a way to help.
“Not everything worked perfectly the first time, but with enough patience, have some volunteerism, I think we can get there,” he says. "I think it's very important that people get out and use these bike trails and take advantage of this lovely province we're in."
A committee meeting has been scheduled for Jan. 21. This matter is on the agenda and will be brought forward by Coun. Christopher Trevelyan.
