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Community raises accessibility concerns with Metrolinx by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff 5 | Thursday, July 4, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com GO Transit operator Metrolinx was in Oakville recently to hear from the community about how it could improve accessibility on buses and trains. The Provincial agency is working on a new multi-year accessibility plan and is reaching out to riders to hear what they have to say. It came to Oakville June 20 and hosted numerous roundtable discussions where local GO riders shared their concerns. Vicki Mains of Oakville, who walks with a cane, said she found herself on the wrong end of the accessibility spectrum one day without warning. The regular 6:10 a.m. train she takes from Oakville to downtown Toronto, one day switched tracks without notice to riders. Mains and others in the accessibility car (car five on every GO train) ended up on track 23 at Union Station. The track leads to a terminal that had no elevator or escalator and she and her fellow riders were told to use the stairs. "It's outright dangerous," she said. Mains explained people with mobility issues can't go Metrolinx held a public meeting for residents in Oakville at Town Hall. Here, from left to right, Chris van Berkel (City of Hamilton), Owen Quinn (City of Hamilton), and Brian Drew discuss the Presto pass. photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) up and down stairs easily, especially amidst a throng of rushing people. The switched track has since become a permanent change for that train. "You can't have a track that's not accessible at all," said Mains, who doesn't take the 6:10 train anymore and arrives at work late. Mains said she has the GO Train mobile app on her phone, but the app gave her no warning of the track change. The train user said the app should address accessibility issues. Another rider agreed and questioned why elevators are at the end of the platforms, while the accessible car is in the middle of the train. Roundtable participant, Lori Butler, of the CNIB, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, teaches visually-impaired people how to travel and noted they face many concerns. Butler called for consistency in elevators at GO stations so riders can orientate themselves. Button layout and positioning is different in each elevator and often the braille is incorrect, she said. "Union Station is a disaster for visually-impaired individuals," said Butler. Participant Dave Butler (who is not related to Lori Butler), is visually impaired and agreed he has trouble in Union Station. Dave's father, David Butler, said accessibility is operational accessibility, as well as architectural. Too frequently, he said, he sees an elderly person, or someone with a cane, struggle up the stairs to a platform while a throng of people stands on those stairs. At Union Station, he said, where there is a high flow of people, vendors slow the flow down because they are at the busiest chokepoints. Currently, construction is making life difficult at Union Station. GO rider Wendy Nivins, is currently off work, but will require a wheelchair when she returns to her job in Toronto. Nivins said she's worried about navigating the crowds and ramps. She said having elevators to take people to street level would be helpful because going up a ramp in a manual wheelchair during rush hour is challenging. See GO on p.13 New Patients & Emergencies Welcome FAMILY, COSMETIC & IMPLANT DENTISTRY FREE Mon-Wed 10-7 Thursday 10-5 Friday 10-3 Saturday 9-3 · Cleaning & Check-ups · White fillings · Root Canals · Crown & Bridge · Implants · Braces/Invisalign · Dentures · Gum Treatment · Wisdom Teeth Removal · Laughing gas/Sedation TEETH WHITENING WITH NEW PATIENT VISIT Limited time offer to new patients 18 years and older, following a complete examination and a professional cleaning. "Let our family take care of yours" Trafalgar Rd. Dundas St. E. Longo's 330 Dundas St. E. Oakville Tel: 905-257-3182 info@klerdental.ca · www.klerdental.ca Open Evenings & Saturdays You'll always want what is best for your child. When it comes to driver training, you cannot cut corners. Young Drivers of Canada teaches in-car life-saving emergency braking and swerving techniques. Knowing how to drive safely means having the skills to react to the unexpected. For info or to enroll visit www.yd.com or call 289.644.2374 Effective driver training is proven to save lives. Oakville 125 Lakeshore Rd. E. Suite 305 July 22, 23, 24, 25 or Aug 6, 7, 8, 9 Burlington 2465 Walkers Line 1 block south of Dundas July 15, 16, 17, 18 or Aug 6, 7, 8, 9 MTO APPROVED BEGINNER DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE PROVIDER ISO 9001:2008 Registered