National Accessibility Week underway in Sudbury

With the theme of 'Breaking Barriers Together: Paving the Way for an Inclusive Future,' Sudbury marked the start of Accessibility Week at city hall Monday.

It’s National Accessibility Week and many events will be held across Greater Sudbury.

The theme this year is ‘Breaking Barriers together: paving the way for an inclusive future.’

Alicia Grace Chenier, 25, has been blind since birth and said she often has to adapt to the world around her.

“I’m always saying I’m a blind girl in the sighted world because I’ve just had to constantly adapt,” Chenier said.

“And so this week is really bringing in that accessibility awareness that we all need -- and I hope it continues because, you know, accessibility isn’t just needed within one week.”

She is also one of the vice chairs of the accessibility advisory panel in the city. Chenier said the group has worked hard to include people who have lived experience taking part in important conversations.

Another vice chair, Gina Kennedy, said they work with the city to develop policies promoting accessibility.

“Especially our consultation policy that we’re really proud of this year,” Kennedy said.

“That triggers an awareness to look at the policies, even the older ones, to make sure that they have that inclusive language, but also that they’re thinking about the future.”

The panel was on hand for the proclamation Monday at Tom Davis Square. The event also featured the wheelchair challenge.

The challenge is just one of several daily events taking place during the week put on by Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin (ILSM).

“Thursday we have ‘Cruisin for Inclusion,’” said Brandon Jalbert, the group’s marketing coordinator.

“We are walking from ILSM all the way down around City Hall, back up Larch Street, all the way to 125 Durham St.”

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On Friday, he said they will hold their first night market.

“We’re shutting down the street from Medina Lane all the way down to the corner of Elgin,” Jalbert said.

“(On) Saturday, it’s the big one -- the accessibility expo. So that is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and we’re getting all the organizations from Sudbury and local businesses to come together on the street to promote accessibility.”

For a full list of events, click here.