The B.C. government has announced a new initiative aimed at improving accessibility in provincial parks located near urban centers.
The “BC Parks Commitment to Inclusion” will see CA $3.6 million earmarked in this year’s provincial budget allocated over the next three years to bring park facilities up to accessibility standards.
The funding will be used to upgrade facilities such as washrooms, parking lots, and trails to make them more accessible, while universal design standards will be incorporated into new campgrounds and recreation area expansions.
The initiative also includes the continuous upgrading of the province’s BC Parks website to include park-specific accessibility information for several parks, including photos and descriptions of accessible facilities and infrastructure.
The province’s commitment to inclusion lays out eight core principles, including universal design, inclusive policies and practices, and a pledge to listen to people with diverse experiences and to continuously improve.
The initiative comes after the completion of accessibility audits at all of the province’s 330 front-country parks in 2018-2019 and a survey of 20,000 B.C. residents with mobility-related disabilities to help identify accessibility barriers.
“We know that being outdoors can help build community and provide many positive health benefits – physical, mental and spiritual,” said B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman.
Our government is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in B.C. can both access and feel comfortable in our parks, and we will continue our work to break down the barriers that discourage or prevent many of our neighbors from accessing the natural beauty of our province,” Heyman added.
The province has already paved the day-use parking lot and upgraded a section of trail at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial park, while a universally accessible playground with a wheelchair-accessible ramp has been built at Miracle Beach Provincial Park, both of which are located on Vancouver Island.
The B.C. government is also soliciting feedback from the public on accessibility barriers in parks as part of its ongoing efforts to make provincial parks more inclusive for all.
The commitment by the B.C. government to improve accessibility in provincial parks near urban centers can also have implications for private campgrounds and recreational facilities located nearby.
By setting universal design standards for new campgrounds and recreation area expansions, private campgrounds and facilities can also take cues from these standards and make their facilities more accessible to everyone.
Additionally, with the upgrading of facilities such as washrooms, parking lots, and trails to make them more accessible, private campgrounds and recreational facilities can also benefit from improved accessibility in the surrounding areas.
This can lead to increased visitation and use of nearby facilities, which can be a boost to local businesses and economies.