{"id":2637,"date":"2025-02-07T14:12:22","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T14:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/?p=2637"},"modified":"2025-02-07T14:12:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T14:12:22","slug":"enhancing-accessibility-and-inclusion-in-city-parks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/?p=2637","title":{"rendered":"Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusion in City Parks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Parks are essential community spaces that offer opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and social connection. Over the years, significant strides have been made to ensure that these public spaces are welcoming and inclusive for all. As part of the <strong>2025-2029 Municipal Accessibility Plan<\/strong>, there is a focus on improving accessibility features in Ottawa\u2019s parks, ensuring everyone\u2014regardless of ability\u2014can fully enjoy these spaces.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>We Want Your Input<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Feedback is being sought from the community on how park features and information can be enhanced to better support all residents. Through an online survey, residents are invited to share their thoughts on the accessibility features they&#8217;d like to see in Ottawa\u2019s parks and how they\u2019d prefer to access this information. This input will directly help shape future efforts to improve park accessibility for everyone.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How to Participate<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To provide input, simply complete the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.ottawa.ca\/public-information-about-accessibility-features-in-parks\">online survey<\/a>. Your ideas are invaluable in making sure that Ottawa\u2019s parks meet the needs of all visitors.<\/p>\n<p>For accessible survey formats or communication supports, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hardcopy surveys<\/li>\n<li>Large font<\/li>\n<li>Audio or Braille versions<\/li>\n<li>Phone surveys<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Please contact us at:<br \/>\n<strong>Email<\/strong>: <a rel=\"noopener\">AccessibilityOffice@ottawa.ca<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Phone<\/strong>: (613) 580-2424 ext. 33544<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The City of Ottawa\u2019s Commitment to Accessibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The City of Ottawa is committed to ensuring that all residents, regardless of their abilities, can equally enjoy the services, programs, and spaces our city has to offer. This commitment is reflected in the <strong>Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)<\/strong> and the <strong>Ontario Human Rights Code<\/strong>, which ensure that people with visible or non-visible disabilities, whether permanent or temporary, are treated equitably and with respect.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the <strong>Accessible Canada Act<\/strong> emphasizes the principle of \u201cNothing without us,\u201d ensuring that people with disabilities are actively involved in decision-making processes. This spirit of inclusion will guide ongoing efforts to make Ottawa\u2019s public spaces more accessible.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Disability in Our Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In Ottawa, it\u2019s estimated that approximately <strong>290,000 people<\/strong> live with one or more disabilities, and this number grows when considering family members, friends, and colleagues. According to the <strong>2022 Canadian Survey on Disability<\/strong>, nearly <strong>one in three Canadians<\/strong> experience disabilities, highlighting the importance of continuing to improve accessibility in all areas of life.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>A Broader View of Disability<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Accessibility goes beyond just physical disabilities. It\u2019s important to consider the intersectional factors\u2014such as age, gender, race, and culture\u2014that influence how individuals experience barriers in their daily lives. This broader approach ensures that the diverse needs of all residents are addressed as we work toward removing barriers and fostering inclusivity in Ottawa\u2019s public spaces.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Moving Forward Together<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Efforts to improve accessibility in Ottawa\u2019s parks are part of a broader initiative to ensure that everyone in our community feels included and can participate fully. The input gathered from this survey will help guide the way forward, ensuring that everyone\u2019s needs are taken into account as we work to make Ottawa a more accessible and inclusive city.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The City of Ottawa is committed to enhancing accessibility in its parks by seeking community input on the features and information that would improve the experience for all residents, in alignment with its 2025-2029 Municipal Accessibility Plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-government"],"aioseo_notices":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434.png",1940,920,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434.png",1940,920,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434.png",1940,920,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-300x142.png",300,142,true],"large":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-1024x486.png",1024,486,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-1536x728.png",1536,728,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434.png",1940,920,false],"inforward-post-grid":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-750x450.png",750,450,true],"inforward-full":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-1920x480.png",1920,480,true],"inforward-post-full":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-1140x600.png",1140,600,true],"inforward-related-posts-image":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-230x150.png",230,150,true],"inforward-portfolio-small-image":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-360x260.png",360,260,true],"inforward-portfolio-big-image":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-555x380.png",555,380,true],"inforward-testimonial":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-263x263.png",263,263,true],"inforward-events-slider":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-768x300.png",768,300,true],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-300x300.png",300,300,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-600x285.png",600,285,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434-100x100.png",100,100,true],"rt_custom":["https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-07-085434.png",1940,920,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Andrea Shane","author_link":"https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/?author=3"},"rttpg_comment":1,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/timtierneyottawa.ca\/?cat=75\" rel=\"category\">Government<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"The City of Ottawa is committed to enhancing accessibility in its parks by seeking community input on the features and information that would improve the experience for all residents, in alignment with its 2025-2029 Municipal Accessibility 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