The City of Delta now has a new Accessibility Plan.
Council this week gave the thumbs up for a staff recommendation for the plan aimed at identifying, removing and preventing barriers.
Endorsed by the Mobility and Accessibility Committee, whose members were on hand to hear council’s June 19th discussion, the plan includes 34 actions that address the six principles in the province’s Accessible British Columbia Act of inclusion, adaptability, diversity, collaboration, self-determination and universal design.
The city’s latest Social Action Plan, approved by council earlier this year, states Delta should try to enhance physical accessibility through the built environment and support social inclusion through the elimination of barriers for people with different abilities.
In 2021, the Accessible British Columbia Act, became law, requiring local governments to have an accessibility committee, accessibility plan and a public feedback tool in place by Sept. 1, 2023.
The plan must be reviewed and updated at least once every three years.
Engineering Director Steven Lan told council that city staff are already well connected with the community and hearing their needs when it comes to accessibility issues. One recent example was hearing from a young lady from a local elementary school who wanted better access to a nearby park, so wheelchair letdowns were added, said Lan.
Mayor George Harvie said civic facilities are still in need of further accessibility improvements and asked staff to make them a yearly budget item.
