Longtime Parksville resident Suzanne Bernard would like to see major accessibility improvements to the new washroom facility in Parksville Community Park.
After being diagnosed with post-polio syndrome approximately 30 years ago, Bernard often uses a mobility scooter to get around town.
“I’m still able to walk with a cane. I use a walker, but when I come to the park, I use my scooter because it’s a long distance," said Bernard, who had polio as a toddler, which paralyzed her left side, although she has recovered to a certain point.
The issue, she said, is mainly to do with the wall erected outside the entrances to the washrooms. She says the wall does not allow enough room for her to position her scooter straight in front of the automatic door.
Bernard said she is only able to enter after making many turns to position herself, and with the help of others holding the door open for her.
"I was really disappointed because of that grey wall there, blocking to enter straight to the washroom," she said. “I was very happy to see all the transformation that has been done here — to the point when I went to the washroom."
Bernard added she has invested a lot of money to continue living independently by buying a van, a lift for her scooter and other devices like a walker and a cane.
She wrote to Mayor Doug O'Brien to express her concerns regarding access to the washroom.
O'Brien, in his reply, explained the building was designed to meet both Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards as well as the BC Building Accessibility Handbook that supports the BC Building Code. The mayor's letter was provided to the PQB News by both the City of Parksville and Bernard.
The city also consulted with both Access Oceanside Association and its Accessibility Advisory Committee for input prior to finalizing the design, O'Brien said.
"The BC Building Code accessibility regulations are designed to ensure individuals in wheelchairs or with standard manual mobility devices can access facilities," O'Brien said in his letter. "There are no provisions for mobility scooters given the wide range of sizes and non-standardized design of these devices."
Bernard is otherwise happy with accessibility improvements in the community park, including the new mobility mat on the beach. She even wrote a poem for the city about the improvements to the paths in the Parksville Wetlands.
The community's park's other washroom, the Kin Hut located near the gathering plaza, is not an option for Bernard's scooter either, so her time in the community park is limited, she said.
City staff are investigating options to retrofit the old washroom building, which is located near the Gathering Plaza.
"We do understand the frustration," the city said in an email to the PQB News. "However, the city has done its best to meet and even exceed the accessibility standards for the new washroom facility where possible, keeping within established project budgets."
