Chronicle 2018

By Alexandra Brickman 2010

M ost people don’t have to think twice about the logistics of a visit to a festival or fair but, for wheelchair users, a lack of accessible washroom facilities can be a barrier serious enough to prevent them from going at all. Diane Hume Ward was struck by the inequity of this and not because she is in a wheelchair herself. Over more than 40 years, Diane has been an advocate and volunteer for outdoor education, a livestock inspector and an organizer of fairs and festivals in York Region, where she lives. She has co-founded three outdoor education centres (two of which are still operating) and served as president of both the Markham Fair and Stouffville Horticultural Society. In 2012, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal “for ‘changing the world’ – a rather lofty description for just being kind!” she says. Through this work, Diane became aware of the physical barriers preventing members of her community from enjoying what are supposed to be

community events. She decided to do something about it. Diane explains that, as matters now stand, there are no publicly accessible washrooms in York Region for children, adults and seniors with severe physical disabilities and medical needs. With the help of Stouffville community members Derek Bunn and Wilf Morley, Diane put together a proposal to build a barrier-free, fully accessible washroom trailer which can be rented and taken to festivals and fairs around York Region. The mobile facility includes interior features such as a lift system, change table, sink, toilet, air conditioning, electric heat and water tank. Diane felt that such a trailer was essential to making people of all abilities feel respected and fully included in their communities. For her proposal, she received support and funding from the towns of Whitchurch- Stouffville, Aurora and Georgina, as well as from several private donors. As of the spring of 2018, the trailer is built and ready to head to festivals across York Region. Diane hopes that other communities and towns will gather the support needed to fund similar accessible washroom trailers and facilities. Her latest goal is to make the parliament buildings in Ottawa more accessible, as there are currently minimal ramp options for wheelchair and walker users. “We need to work a little harder to make change happen,” Diane says. “If we all become more aware of the needs of people in our community, a lot more could be done.”

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PHOTO: BRUCE STAPLEY