Latest news with #accessibleparking
CBC
30-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Kitchener senior with mobility issues faces months without accessible parking
Renate Euteneier is facing the threat of losing her parking spot, and with it, her independence. Euteneier, who turns 87 this fall, requires an accessible parking permit. While the parking garage in her Kitchener apartment building undergoes renovations, she's been told she has to park elsewhere. "I'm having nightmares," she told CBC News. Euteneier said she's worried losing her spot means she'll be housebound for fear of having to park too far away. But she admits, "I have to get out sometime." From accessible to inaccessible overnight When Euteneier moved into the building nearly 10 years ago, she didn't have accessibility requirements. Since then, her mobility has deteriorated, but luckily, the parking space included in her lease has always worked for her needs. However, with renovations slated from June to October, building managers M. Schiketanz Real Estate say she'll have to use a temporary lot half of a kilometre downhill from her building — a distance Euteneier says she simply can't manage anymore. "I'm not walking as fast as I used to," she said, adding that she now uses a walking stick for mobility. When she got a notice saying she would be losing her spot for a time, she reached out to management to let them know about her situation, saying she was hopeful they would accommodate her disability. A patio is blocking accessible parking in Belmont Village. Advocates say that's not fair So when several visitor parking spaces opened up close to the building, she asked if she could use one of them. Euteneier said their response was "no." She said that despite speaking to managers on the phone and attending an in-person meeting, they've offered "no solutions." In an emailed statement, M. Schiketanz president Mark Machel said Euteneier is not on the company's "ambulatory list," which helps determine priority for accessible parking. He acknowledged the situation is challenging, but said the company is "doing our best considering the situation." The statement said that visitor spots at the building would be first-come-first-serve. Machel said some spots had been converted to accessible spaces, but they would also be unassigned. "Providing a reserved space for tenants creates a problem that everyone else wants one too," he said. "We do understand tenant needs and are trying to accommodate everyone, but it is difficult." A lack of reasonable alternatives Street parking has also been suggested, but the stretch of road outside Euteneier's building is shared with two nearby schools, meaning there's a lot of congestion and limited availability during the day. She said she's worried there's no guarantee she'll be able to park near her home. She said if management "would give us some room somewhere, some consideration somewhere," it would help. And Euteneier's not alone. She worries about what this means for other residents with mobility issues, too. "It's not only us few who have a handicapped sticker, it's a lot of other old people who don't have it." What does the law say? In Ontario, landlords are required to accommodate tenants with disabilities under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). "It's not just a matter of, 'shucks, there's nothing we can do,'" said David Lepofsky, chair of the AODA Alliance. "They have to show it would be impossible to do anything more for this individual without undue hardship," he said. Lepofsky said that includes a duty for the landlords to investigate reasonable alternatives. In Euteneier's case, Lepofsky believes the building managers will have a hard time making the case that it's impossible to accommodate her. Her story resonates with others in Waterloo region, too. CJ Janzen, vice-chair of Cambridge's Accessibility Advisory Committee, said they went through a similar situation last year when their parking spot was under renovation. Janzen, who uses a wheelchair, said they had to "fight to have special cones placed in the one spot so that I could park my van and have the ramps come out at curb level." "At least I didn't have to go half a mile." A broader issue Advocates say Euteneier's situation is just one example of a broader issue. "We have an accessible housing crisis in Canada, not just a shortage — a crisis," said Lepofsky. Edward Faruzel, executive director of Kitchener-Waterloo AccessAbility, said the region isn't exempt from these issues. He said the supply of housing that meets accessibility needs is far too low. "Especially for somebody that needs wheelchair access," he said. Faruzel said the waiting list for accessible housing in Waterloo region "is up to 10 years." Euteneier said she feels stuck. She's unable to rely on accessible parking, but she also can't afford to leave. In addition, Faruzel said it's unlikely she'd find a suitable apartment in just five months, anyway. But that doesn't mean she isn't considering it. "I've been too independent," she said. "So now I've learned to not be so independent." "Maybe I'll go into a nursing home for a few months," she said. She's also considering moving into her son's Georgetown, Ont., home, "just to get out." 'Oh my god, I have sleepless nights' With the countdown on before the parking garage shuts down, Euteneier is running out of options. "Oh my god, I have sleepless nights," she said.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Hundreds of drivers fined for illegally parking in accessible parking spaces in Ottawa
Bylaw Services shared a photo of a Porsche parked illegally in an accessible parking space in Ottawa this week. Nearly $900,000 worth of fines has been handed out so far this year to drivers parking illegally in accessible parking spaces across Ottawa. Bylaw Services shared a photo of a Porsche parked illegally in an accessible parking space in Ottawa this week. 'When you misuse an accessible parking space you make our community less inclusive,' Bylaw Services said in a post on X. 'We all play a role in making our community kinder and better. Leave accessible parking spaces free for those who require them.' In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) director Roger Chapman said 1,798 tickets have been issued since Jan. 1 to vehicles parked in accessible parking spaces without a permit. 'Accessible parking spaces are reserved to support the mobility and independence of individuals with disabilities. BLRS remains committed to enforcing these regulations to ensure equitable access for those who need it most,' Chapman said. 'BLRS reminds all motorists that only vehicles displaying a valid accessible parking permit are allowed to use designated accessible parking spaces.' The fine for parking illegally in an accessible parking permit is $500. In 2024, officers issued 3,193 tickets to vehicles parked in an accessible parking space without a valid permit. Between Oct. 1 and Nov. 5, 2024, officers issued 490 tickets to vehicles parked in accessible parking spaces.
CBC
26-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
A patio is blocking accessible parking in Belmont Village. Advocates say that's not fair
The patio of a Belmont Village restaurant is blocking an accessible parking spot, and that's raising questions about what people with physical disabilities may need to fully enjoy public spaces. Casa Rugantino is an Italian restaurant in the heart of Kitchener's Belmont Village. Their patio fences off one of the only accessible parking spots in all of Belmont Village, and that's not sitting right with resident Macie Anderson. Anderson doesn't have any accessibility needs herself, but she said she is a frequent visitor of the area with her family, and seeing the patio block the spot made her concerned. She noted that the parking spot has been blocked every summer since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when outdoor patios became a lifeline to restaurants needing distant spaces for their patrons. "We love the area, obviously love supporting local and we love the restaurant," Anderson said. When she realized the accessible space was being blocked off repeatedly during summer months, she spoke with the Casa Rugantino's owner and the city of Kitchener itself. Anderson said the owner, Shelly Trotta, told her that she was under the impression the city had taken care of the oversight. "[Trotta] assumed that because they gave them the permit and they allowed them to build the patio that the city was then going to add an additional accessible spot for the area somewhere else," Anderson said. CBC News reached out to the restaurant several times by phone and email but have not received a response. The city said that they had collaborated with the Belmont Village BIA board of members and determined that "the area remains well-served with parking." The city confirmed that Casa Rugantino operated its expanded patio on an outdoor patio permit that renews automatically unless a business informs the city of a change or discontinuation. They said Casa Rugantino was compliant with all city and legal standards. Anderson said that despite ample street-side parking in Belmont Village, designated accessible parking spots were few and far between. There are a total of three accessible spaces in the area, including the one being blocked. "It's not ideal and it's already a bit of a sore spot for the area just from going there a lot of times to the buildings myself," she said. She said she's seen many older residents grow frustrated over a lack of available parking that's designed specifically for people who need to be closer to places like medical buildings. "Belmont is such an inclusive small village that has been so good to the businesses in the area and the people... and then this glaring issue of completely disregarding anybody with an accessibility issue, I don't know, just stood out to me," she said. 'Double-edged sword' of accessibility Kitchener city officials say Casa Rugantino is well within its rights to expand its outdoor patio to the street-side parking, but some advocates are saying that situations like these are a give-and-take. Edward Faruzel is the executive director of KW AccessAbility, a non-profit dedicated to creating equal spaces for adults with physical disabilities in Waterloo region. "It's sort of a double-edged sword. If it's done right, it can be amazing because [outdoor patios] could open up a whole lot of extra accessible seating areas that might otherwise not be available to somebody in a wheelchair," he said. As a wheelchair user himself, Faruzel is aware of how difficult it can be to get safe, accessible street parking in the downtown cores of Kitchener and Waterloo to begin with. He said summertime is normally "the most important time for people with disabilities." "It's so much easier for people to get around... there's no snow, they don't have to bundle up," he said. Devin Sisak, the former chair of the Cambridge accessibility committee, agrees. His son uses a wheelchair and their family is very familiar with the parking situation in Belmont Village. He confirmed that there were only three accessible parking spots in the village. He said most outdoor patios tend to be better for mobility as long as they're not encroaching on safe parking. "We have a very limited number of accessible on-street parking in the region just because of safety. People are exiting their vehicles. So if you're driving and transferring to a mobility device, you'd be transferring into the edge of traffic just the same as an able-bodied driver," he said. That being said, he did say that the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires a temporary spot to be put in place of any accessible spot being taken away in order to maintain legal numbers. "It gets into percentages," Sisak said, adding regions are required to maintain a certain amount of accessible parking spaces based on already available parking and other considerations. He said there are most likely ways to designate new accessible parking spots in areas being blocked off by outdoor patios. Faruzel said a bigger concern might also be busy traffic areas of downtown cores in the region. He said that parking is so sparse on busy streets that it may be a better alternative to consider shutting down certain streets for ease of pedestrian mobility in general. Other barriers and moving forward Chantal Huinink is a lifelong disability advocate, a councillor for the Region of Waterloo and she sits on the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC). She said the biggest concern with accessible spots is making sure there's enough space for an accessible van to function if a wheelchair user is getting on and off. Summertime, she said, comes with a whole host of other accessibility considerations. "It's not just about parking spots. It's about sandwich boards, the sidewalk or flower beds that aren't there in the winter. If people are navigating and they're visually impaired, for example, there are all kinds of features to be aware of in the summer," she said. "This requires the attention of the municipality, it requires the attention of the region and it requires the attention of the province and enforcement of the AODA because that's a positive legislation meant to make Ontario accessible for everyone, but it's not enforced properly," she said.
