The Island that time forgot

Huge traffic volumes make a walk on the island akin to a stroll in a very busy parking lot

The railway tie boardwalk that surrounds the perimeter of Granville Island is not well suited for mobility devices

The children's market calls itself accessible but with no automatic doors, over stuffed aisles, crowds and washrooms that are not up to today's accessibility standards it isn't. The public market is only slightly more accessible.

Granville Island opened its doors in 1979. The federal government bought this large plot of what was once industrial wasteland just under the Granville Bridge with the dream of creating a mix of housing, business, art and parks for all people. Huge crowds flock to this mecca of music, markets, crafts, restaurants, arts and culture. The island is humming with activity from dawn to the wee hours all year long.  Unfortunately this CMHC operated social hub has not kept up with the enormous strides in accessibility made by the City of Vancouver. Very little has been done to make the market accessible in keeping with 2011 standards.

If the island psychics really knew I wanted a reading they should have come downstairs.

Pockets of accessibility include the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, The Arts Club Theatre, Bridges Restaurant, Granville Island Hotel, The Tap Room, the False Creek Community Centre and adjacent children's play areas . But getting from place to place is made difficult by heavy traffic and the lack of sidewalks and proper cross ways.

The community centre's water park and children's play area is not fully integrated but does have many accessible features

Come to the island using the accessible cyquabus system (see post "False Creek transportation truly innovative")

Most artist galleries and shops are not accessible

On Canada day this amplatheatre and the adjoining Arts Club will be grooving as the island plays host to the Vancouver Jazz Festival

On July 1 Granville Island will host its annual Canada Day celebration. We canucks celebrate our right to live in a safe and diverse culture and in 2010 the Canadian government ratified its agreement with the United Nations on The Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This convention builds on the Canadian values of equality, non discrimination and the duty to accommodate. It's time for CMHC and other branches of the federal government to prove Canada's support for people with disabilities. Granville Island generates millions in revenue annually for government coffers. Surely the federal government has a duty to put some of this revenue towards a long overdo accessibility retrofit. If you want more information on Granville Island check out the website http://www.granvilleisland.com/.

Queen Elizabeth Park wears a crown of accessiblity

If you think making a park that climbs from 200-500 ft and spans across 130 acres accessible would be a challenge you're right. And in truth if you have a mobility impairment not all sections of the park can be easily accessed. However, excellent trail maps and provisions to accommodate PWDs in the park's many attractions make this park a must see.

The view from the fountain plaza makes the city looks like a 1960's sci fi set

Bloedel Floral Conservatory as seen from the quarry garden

Getting to the park has never been easier since the area streets and crosswalks were significantly upgraded in 2009. As usual for me our accessible transit system is the preferred method of travel. Go to www.translink.ca  Because of the park's steep 300 ft grade, a car may be better for those who do not have use of a fairly powerful mobility device such as a scooter or electric wheelchair. There are several roads and paid parking areas for PWDs.

The highest levels of the park are best accessed off of Cambie and 33rd Avenue. There you will find stunning views of the city along with the Bloedel flower conservatory, Seasons in the Park restaurant, fountain plaza, painter's corner, the celebration pavilion and trail access to the quarry gardens.

Centennial Garden

The lower south section of the park is better accessed from Kerrisdale Avenue and 37th Avenue. There you will find the Centennial Garden, pitch and putt golf, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a roller rink.

The park is home to one of Vancouver's two disc golf courses

The centre east side of the park is best accessed off of 33rd Avenue and Ontario Street. There you will find duck ponds, arboretum, and disc golf. I plan to revisit disc golf in a near future blog, as I met a great group of guys who are real ambassadors of the sport.

The lower southeast side, a prime picnic spot, is better approached from 29th Avenue and Cambie Street. All areas of the park have accessible washrooms, places to sit, well marked trail ways and excellent access points with good crosswalks and bus access. To learn more about Vancouver's second most visited park go to  www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth/index.htm

Scotiabank Field runs a foul of Hillcrest Park's barrier free concept

The Nat: a view from the barrier free Hillcrest Centre

It's the first day of summer so I decided an afternoon of baseball complete with beer, hot dog, 50/50 draw and plenty of sunshine is just what the doctor ordered. Actually I'm pretty sure the doc would suggest I knock off the hot dog and beer but I am a baseball traditionalist. I try to take in a game at the "Nat" at least once a year.  I've seen many changes both on and off the field since I started attending 16 years ago. Built in 1951 it was first called Capilano Stadium. In 1956 the pro ball came to town and the stadium became home to the triple A Vancouver Mounties of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). There was a brief two year absence in 1963 and 64, but the team returned in 65 and stayed through 69.  The park did not host pro ball again until 1978 when the PCL returned  with the Vancouver Canadians. The stadium was also renamed Nat Bailey Stadium. Nat Bailey, founder of the White Spot restaurant chain, got his start as a peanut vendor at the iconic Empire Stadium. The triple A Canadians team lasted until the end of the 2000 season. Since 2001 a new version of the Canadians hits the field as a single A team in the Northwest League on the retitled Scotiabank Field.

The disability seating in this ball park was an afterthought. Main gates into the stadium building can be accessed by wheelchair, but stairs to every section of the stands make it necessary for PWDs to sit in a segregated area literally in left field. It even has a separate entrance. Apart from this problem, the new team owners have made upgrades and improvements. The disability area feels more a part of the stadium as a new beer garden and children's play area have been added nearby. Washrooms have been upgraded and are accessible and the disability entrance is now a proper gate. Sadly, however, all but a few of the disability seats are crap. The historically poor view been made worse this year (2011) with the addition of a new third base suite for groups of 25 where often-standing patrons can limit the view in the disablity area even more than previously. The team does not honour the Access 2 entertainment program (see post "Van Dusen Gardens growing more accessible"), making the current price for many PWDs requiring attendants a relatively steep $20 when compared with much superior views in the reserved grandstand seating at $12.50. The most expensive single seat tickets are $22, so the value for money for PWDs requiring attendants is very poor.

The third base luxury suite features some of the best seats

Right next to the luxury box are the worst of seats -- in the disability section 

You can't see home plate from the middle section of the disability area

Sit as far back as possible for the best of a limited view

This type of accommodation is utterly at odds with its neighbour and landlord (the City of Vancouver) in Hillcrest Park. The city has adopted the very latest and highest standard of accessibility: barrier free. The former 2010 Olympic curling venue, now the Hillcrest Community Centre, has a gym, ice hockey rink, indoor /outdoor aquatic centre, public library, curling club and more. Time for the Vancouver Canadians and their landlord, the City of Vancouver, to create better access at Scotiabank Field.

Former Olympic and Paralympic curling venue

If you want more info on the Scotiabank Field and Vancouver Canadians email them at  staff@canadiansbaseball.com or google Vancouver Canadians Baseball to find their official site. It is impossible to post the link.

If you want information on the rest of Hillcrest Park and Community Centre go to http://www.vancouver.ca/ and follow the links.

Hendry Park and Trout Lake

John Hendry Park, better known by the locals as (Vancouver's) Trout Lake, was the former site of Hastings Mill. The mill, owned by city maverick John Hendry, was the very first within city boundaries. Hendry chose this location because the adjacent lake between the Fraser River and the Burrard Inlet was perfect to supply power to his mill. A man of means and vision, he purchased the area just prior to the arrival of the railroad. He would later step back from the lumber business and become a railroad baron. He continued to own the land, passing it to his daughter and her husband in 1916. By 1920 the mill had been closed and in 1926 the Hambers donated the land to the city as a park with the provision that it be named after Mrs Hamber's late father. I don't know why the name never caught on and why it is still called Trout Lake because there are no recorded sightings of trout since before the second world war.

Lots of open fields

The north end of the lake is an off leash dog area

Humans are allowed to swim on the south side

BBQs are permitted but not provided

Personally I would not swim in the lake as it is often closed due to high fecal coliform levels. But safe swimming will soon be possible with the opening of an aquatic centre with in and outdoor facilities. This will be attached to newly designed community centre sports complex.

This new Trout Lake Community Centre has been years in the making and is a part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic/Paralympic legacy. It was used as a training centre for the figure skaters and sledge hockey players during the games. This state of the art multi-use centre will certainly be the highlight of the park when it is completed in the fall of 2011. The current centre continues to operate with limited programing until then.

The south and west sides of Trout Lake are left wilder

Harry Whitehead has been coming to the park since 1935

Play areas can be accessed but there is no adaptive equipment

As it stands now the park is fairly accessible. The washrooms at the beach house are accessible, and most of the trails and lookout points are equally as inviting.  There are soccer fields and baseball diamonds with accessible clubhouse facilities. By the way, the City of Vancouver has posted an accessible trail guide on their website. Check out accessible hiking trails at this and other city parks at www.vancouver.ca/parks/activecommunity/walks.htm

The biggest drawback is getting to the park. Although it is very close to the Commercial/Broadway skytrain station walking there is a bit hazardous. Commercial Drive is an accessible street with proper crosswalks, curb cuts, etc but when you need to turn off it to walk to the park, safety is questionable. Several of the side streets are badly in need of an upgrade. Better to book a HandyDart if you can, or drive. Parking lots at the south and north end of the park have disability parking. On Saturdays through the summer the north parking lot hosts a fantastic farmers' market. For information on transit including HandyDart and trip planning go to www.translink.ca

Van Dusen Gardens growing more accessible

This former home of the Shaughnessy Golf Course is now a beautiful 55 acre oasis in the heart Vancouver. The city run garden was first opened in 1975 and is now in the midst of a 20 million dollar face lift. One of its major new attractions is scheduled to open in September 2011: a newly built Visitor Centre. Much is being made of the new structure and its living building philosophy. The phrase is used to define very high environmental standards, and is governed buy a set of principles that mandates indoor quality that is "healthy for all people."  For people with disabilities this is fantastic news. Current old buildings and grounds are only modestly accessible.

This accessibility logo at the Education Centre belongs on the fertilizer pile

Washrooms are sparse and inadequate. I found only one truly accessible facility, a porta-potty located near the great lawn. As mentioned improvements are underway with newly landscaped pathways, viewing decks and a pavilion for the great lawn area of the garden coming soon. Accessibility in the higher regions of the garden needs some attention. For example cobblestone at the base of the waterfall, one of the garden's highlights, is neither natural nor necessary and makes for bumpy ride or tripping hazard. There is a tram that has scheduled runs to all regions of the park, but it does not provide independent access. Way finding also needs improvement with better marked trails, larger signs and tactile trailways.

 This Korean gift was added to the garden after Expo 86

Thousands of colours create a magical experience during the yuletide Festival of Light

The garden is year around home to many cultural, educational and fun events. I have always loved this place in spite of its accessibillity shortcomings. When I made the transition from walker to scooter it was one of the first places I came to try out my new wheels.

This tram has sturdy holding rails for loading and unloading 

Lots of paved trails in the lower levels of the garden

Former garden volunteer Viola Chan still loves to visit

Plenty of benches

The garden is home to several permanent and touring sculpture exhibits

Vandusen Gardens recognizes the Access 2 entertainment program http://www.easterseals.ca/ which allows attendants/companions free access to a variety of theatres and attractions across Canada. While you're on that website, check out the disability travel card for the same deal on many buses and trains. For directions to the garden, event information, fees and more go to http://www.vandusengarden.org/.

Hiking the dykes along an ocean island estuary

Richmond BC is made up of a group of islands connected by bridges

Where the Fraser, one the world's fastest flowing rivers, arrives at the Pacific Ocean, two large islands and a group of smaller ones are connected by roads and bridges to form the City of Richmond. The fresh and salt water mix of the Fraser and Pacific gives it the area the title of estuary.

Today we travel a small section of this 80+ km  dyke along the very accessible Bridgeport Trail, the not very accessible Middle Arm Trail and the moderately accessible West Dyke Trail. We begin the trip at Aberdeen Canada Line skytrain station. For directions go to http://www.translink.ca/ . From here it is 1500 m to the Richmond Oval. The Oval was one of the central attractions of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Now it serves as a community centre/sports complex. For details check out http://www.richmondoval.ca/.

Getting to the dyke across No 3 Road is easy with very wide curb cuts, auditory crossings and tactile clues. We follow the sign that points us down Cambie Road to a crossing at River Road which consists only of curb cuts and a crosswalk made somewhat safer by a three way stop.  The Bridgeport section of trail has accessible washrooms, lighting, paved paths, places to sit, and a great play area for children of all abilities.

Motion sensitive devices release sounds
of seals, fog horns, and squawking gulls

Inclusive play areas with all abilities play equipment

The oval is huge and very accessible

Middle Arm Trail is not accomodating to PWDs

The area is a bird sanctuary

Beyond the Oval heading southwest the dyke takes us to the Middle Arm Trail. This section of trail is rustic and not adapted. Long grass makes accessing picnic tables and benches difficult to impossible. Pavement turns to gravel. You have to commit to long sections of dyke trail with no exit points save the occasional set of stairs or steep embankments. There is no transit or amenities in the immediate area and no washrooms until you reach Terra Nova Park.

Terra Nova Park is a great place to watch planes come and go

After Terra Nova Park we get to the West Dyke Trail. This section of dyke is still gravel, but with more washrooms and access to benches it rates higher marks than Middle Arm.

Sight lines at viewing platforms need lowering

Miles of mud flats and driftwood

The turnaround signs let you know how far you have gone, but provide no clues as to how far the next turnoff points would be. Turnoff points of  this 7 km section of dyke are spaced roughly 1 km apart. Keep in mind that you will have to travel another 500+ m to get to No 3 Road to reconnect with transit. You could take this trail all the way to Gary Point Park and the historical Steveston fishing village.  Gary Point Park and beyond is much more accessible with paved trails, bus route access, numerous accessible washrooms and other amenities. We will save that trip for another day.