Accessibility and Transit
Asked by Anonymous · a month ago
Accessibility issues. Our town is not accessible to get around- our town has several people in the comunity who need accessibility and don't get it. There are only 3 accessible buses in all of Simcoe County. Linx transit buses do not accommodate people who use mobility scooters. Linx transit stops are limited and Tottenham is completely inaccessible. This has been brought up to council members in the past and only one has taken the opportunity to take the time to respond. I would like to hear from all candidates, as it is not just the elderly who face these issues but families, children and parents. How can we connect New Tecumseth and make it so that EVERYONE can access resources and spaces?
Laurie Mortimer's answer
This issue is very personal to me.
My dad became a quadriplegic when I was 15, so accessibility was part of my family’s life long before it became the conversation it is today. More than 20 years ago, my dad actually served on our local accessibility committee. He eventually became frustrated because many good ideas ran into red tape, jurisdictional issues and political hurdles. Too often, what should have been a practical solution became complicated enough that nothing changed.
More than 20 years later, residents are still raising some of the same concerns. That tells me we need to move beyond simply identifying barriers.
Accessibility is not just about whether a building meets a standard. It is about whether someone can actually live independently in their community. Can a person using a wheelchair or mobility device leave home, get to transportation, travel between Alliston, Beeton and Tottenham, access recreation, shopping, medical appointments and community services, and get home again?
If they can’t, then we haven’t achieved accessibility.
There will always be different jurisdictions, budgets and regulations involved, but those cannot become reasons to accept the status quo. I would want us to identify the specific barriers residents are facing, determine who has the authority to fix each one, establish priorities and then follow through.
And the people who live with these barriers need to have a meaningful voice in those decisions, not simply be consulted after plans have already been made.
I watched my dad fight for his independence and for better accessibility in this community. That experience has stayed with me.
Twenty years later, I don’t want to have the same conversations. I want to see measurable progress.
Connecting New Tecumseth means making sure everyone can be part of it.
