CALGARY – Disability and seniors advocates are outraged that a reliable means of transportation for people with limited mobility could be axed to save the city money.
The Access Calgary Extra (ACE) program caters to clients who can’t rely on normal transit service to get them to doctor’s appointments or other important errands. They can use the Access Calgary handibus or use their ACE cards to hire a taxi to get them door to door in an emergency.
“Those people who have missed their handibus, what’s gonna happen to them?” says Colleen Huston, Disability Action Hall. “Wow, they’ll end up in hospitals or take an ambulance to get home – so I worry about being abandoned or caught in the cold.”
On Wednesday, during Council’s 2011 budget talks, it was suggested cutting the program could save the City $500,000.
However, users say it will dramatically impact the quality of life for thousands of Calgarians who rely on it.
“Angry. Very,very angry. Whoever suggested cutting this program and subsidy should hang their heads in shame,” says Stan Nykiel, whose daughter uses Access Calgary Extra. “This is not a frivolity. It’s an absolute necessity.”
Mayor Naheed Nenshi and a handful of aldermen say they won’t vote in favour of eliminating the program.
“I’m not a fan of the cuts to the Access Calgary extra program. I’m going to be working hard to preserve that funding,” said Nenshi.
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