Accessibility tourism website changes hands
After 22 years it’s time to lighten my load
This will be my last regular column on disability and accessibility issues for our three local daily papers.
It has been an honour and a privilege to connect with so many caring and concerned people throughout these 22 years but, at age 76 and with a progressing disability, I feel a need to lighten my commitments.
Angus Scott, editor-in-chief of the papers, has graciously allowed me to write whenever I have something that I think needs saying, either on behalf of the many people with disabilities living in Niagara or to bring to light a concern that I feel needs addressing, but I will no longer be committed to a regular column.
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After 16 years of managing AccessibleNiagara.com — the website for tourists with disabilities wanting to visit Niagara — I am pleased to announce that by the end of the year the site will be in the capable hands of Brian
Kon of Niagara Falls.
Brian has many years of experience working in the accessibility field on both sides of the border.
He is also no stranger to disability issues as many members of his family experienced disabilities throughout their lives including stroke, blindness, Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy. Brian has Tourette’s syndrome.
As well as having developed training tools specific to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act – Customer Service Standards, he was one of its original authors. In addition, he has developed evaluation methods for assessing the accessibility of the built environment and has studied universal design. Since 2001 he has been a member of the Niagara Falls mayor’s accessibility advisory committee and is in his third term on the Niagara Region’s accessibility advisory committee. On both committees he has been involved in the design of many public buildings.
He has served on the board of AIDS Niagara, Heartland Forest and Niagara Support Services as well as chairing the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre and the West Niagara Palliative Care Services and is currently past-president of Rotary Club of Niagara Falls Sunrise.
In the fall of 2015 Brian was elected to the Niagara Region Metis Council as a regional councillor and selected as chair in 2016.
He is the co-chair of the Indigenous education advisory committee for both District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board and also sits on the Aboriginal advisory committee for Brock University.
Brian will continue to bring the best of our accessible attractions and accommodations to the thousands of people with disabilities who visit us every year and will undoubtedly grow the AccessibleNiagara.com website beyond what it is now. I believe it is in good hands.
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Mainstream Services will again hold its Pathways to Success Resource Fair, Thursday, May 10, at the Holiday Inn and Suites Parkway Conference Centre, 327 Ontario St. in St. Catharines, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free with a non-perishable food donation.
The fair will feature businesses, services and resources that help people with a developmental disability live the life of their choice and it’s also helpful to their families, friends, support and staff networks, teachers, students and workers-in-training. I’ve always found it an extremely educational and worthwhile event.
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People in Motion — Canada’s largest disability exhibition — will be held June 15 and 16 at Variety Village, 3701 Danforth Ave., Scarborough. If you want to learn about all things related to disabilities, including vans, mobility devices and wonderful inventions you’ve likely not even thought of, this fair will do it. There is a well-manned career fair as well as accessible washrooms, free parking and free admission.