REGINA – Evraz Place is becoming more accessible, thanks to a push by an advocate for people with disabilities.
Jamie McKenzie is wheelchair bound. He loves watching hockey, but has trouble using washrooms at Pats games.
“The current bathrooms don’t meet a lot of people with disabilities needs,” he said.
McKenzie gets a special security escort to the Co-operators Centre when he needs to needs a bathroom break between periods.
He has to use another facility because those stalls have grab bars in multiple locations, to help move in and out of his wheelchair.
Tired of the obstacles, he took his concerns to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.
Chief Commissioner David Arnot said, “access to a public building is part of a right, as a citizen.”
Arnot said the commission is less about punishing businesses, and more about mediating a solution.
In addition to changes in washroom stalls, McKenzie has ten other requests, including an accessible pay phone, functioning door opening buttons, and designated seating in every building.
McKenzie said watching hockey at the Co-operators Centre was particularly challenging.
“When you have a hockey tournament, you have everyone standing around. And people don’t think about people with disabilities and stand in our way.”
Evraz Place CEO, Mark Allan, said he hopes signage and painted wheelchair lanes will ensure there is appropriate space for those with disabilities.
“If people want to get up close to the action and are having a little trouble, there’s a place they can point to and say ‘hey, this is for us’,” he said.
According to Arnot, Evraz Place moved quickly to address the concerns.
“It’s our responsibility to make our facility as inviting as possible for all of our guests. Including those with special needs and those in wheelchairs,” Allan said. “It’s just the right thing to do.”
McKenzie said he’s happy the changes happened far sooner than he expected them to.
“It’s not just for me. It’s for everybody in Regina. They like going to sporting events but they’re too afraid to speak up. If you don’t, who will?”
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