Great news. Now that the $5.75 million on glam bike paths for the super-abled is out of the way, city council will take a long overdue look at increasing basic accessibility for people who may not even have one way to get from Point A to Point B.

Ward 7 Coun. Druh Farrell introduced the motion to study this issue over the next year, and it was passed, meaning we can hopefully look forward to some engagement with the community on how people from all walks and circumstances of life want — no, need — to get around.

Even with sound mind and body, walking through parts of our beautiful, bustling city can be a day-tripping experience. Missing, extra and seemingly random curbs, dents, cones, detours, ice/gravel and signage advertising soup of the day can make it an obstacle course. And that’s with darting eyes peeled, and ears standing at Spock attention for skateboarders, LRT and someone who needs bus fare and forgot their wallet. I can’t imagine what this must be like for someone in a wheelchair, or a walker, or a passel of kids in tow, or who can’t hear or see, or who may have a cognitive delay, or need to use a bathroom semi-regularly. Those are all mobility issues.

Imagine trying to wheedle a device marginally smaller than a smart car more than a downtown block. Try jamming that baby onto a crowded CTrain, or doing a 27-point turn to fit it into a washroom. Sadly, for many people with accessibility issues, they just don’t bother, which means people can become isolated, lose access to services, entertainment, and all those things that make up a good quality of life.

Read more here Calgary Hearld