'A modest amount of consideration:' Winnipeg man raising accessibility concerns to city
A Winnipeg man is raising concerns about accessibility in Winnipeg after one intersection in the city had the wrong auditory signals being used.
Tyler Sneesby is visually impaired and relies on these sounds to cross the street.
There are two sounds that can be heard at crosswalks, "chirp" and "beep-boop." When the chirp is heard, it means people can cross going east-west, and when the beep-boop is heard, it means people can cross north-south.
Sneesby said when he was at the intersection of Maryland Street and Broadway on Wednesday, the sounds were going off for the wrong directions, which could have led him to walk into traffic.
He said the problem was brought to the city's attention and it was fixed the same day.
"It was a bit of a softball for the city to fix. It was literally just a switch issue," said Sneesby.
Sneesby added that this problem highlights a greater need to focus on making Winnipeg more accessible for all, as he pointed out the signal had been wrong at the intersection for months.
"There's bigger accessibility issues out there that those of us who are walking around with disabilities that we have to deal with on a daily basis."
One issue he highlighted is creating a ramp from the sidewalk when there is construction so that people can still get around everything.
He said he has come across several instances where the construction company doesn't create the temporary ramp and the city doesn't do anything about it.
"There is a bylaw that the city does not enforce, that says that these construction sites are supposed to create alternate pathways," said Sneesby.
"Those of us who are visually impaired, we're just walking along and we suddenly hit a sidewalk that is closed and there is no indication that it has been closed."
He added he couldn't imagine being someone who relied on a walker or other device to get around as they would have to backtrack to find another way around.
Sneesby also noted these aren't problems people who can see and are mobile might think about as they can usually avoid it by jaywalking or walking around it.
"For those of us that are visually impaired, we're not going to jaywalk. I stick to strictly controlled intersections or crosswalks, so sometimes I have to do detours up to two, three, four blocks."
Sneesby lost his vision a few years ago and said in that time, he knows there have been several instances where he has had to risk crossing the street because signals weren't working or the sidewalk wasn't taken care of properly. He added there is a good chance it isn't just him who has been affected.
"I just think it is not a priority for the city. That is how we are made to feel anyway."
When asked what he would like the city to do, he said he wants the city to show that accessibility is at the very least being considered and thought about and that progress is being made, such as an alternate route set up around a construction site so that he can still walk safely.
"I guess I would like to see a modest amount of consideration to show that it is actually being thought of."
Dana Erickson is the CEO of Manitoba Possible, an organization that promotes inclusivity.
He said there is still a long way to go until Winnipeg is fully accessible.
"Accessibility continues to be a work-in-progress throughout the city," he said.
While there are challenges, Erickson said the city is making improvements.
"The city has a lot of structure in place," he said. "It has got a human rights committee of council, it has an access advisory committee, a universal design steering committee, and so on. There is a lot of good structure and processes in place in the city.
"The thing that I would encourage every government decision-making body to do is to continue to listen to and hear from people with lived experience."
In a statement, the City of Winnipeg said it has been working on improving accessibility in all of its service areas, including intersections and construction zones.
"While many steps have been taken to support navigation and accessibility, the City is responsible for all pedestrian infrastructure across Winnipeg and takes this matter seriously," a spokesperson said in a statement. "While we monitor and keep tabs on the entire network, we welcome the public identifying errors and failures when they encounter them. This helps us respond more quickly to such problems."
Residents can call 311 to identify any barriers or problems they encounter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Pro-Palestinian protests roiling U.S. colleges escalate with arrests, new encampments and closures
The student protests of Israel's war with Hamas that have been creating friction at U.S. universities escalated Tuesday as new encampments sprouted and some colleges encouraged students to stay home and learn online, after dozens of arrests across the country.
Tabloid publisher says he pledged to be Trump campaign's 'eyes and ears' during 2016 race
A veteran tabloid publisher testified Tuesday that he pledged to be Donald Trump 's 'eyes and ears' during his 2016 presidential campaign, recounting how he promised the then-candidate that he would help suppress stories that had the potential to harm the Republican's election bid.