Huron Expositor, 2006-12-17, Page 3News
The Huron Expositor • December 27, 2006 Page 3
Town begins to solve accessibility challenges.
Joe Boyd happy sidewalk will be plowed and town street signs will be measured
Susan Hundertmark around town.
A meeting between Huron East
administration, Seaforth Coun. Bob
Fisher and Joe Boyd has resolved a
number of Boyd's difficulties getting
Boyd, a 51 -year-old Seaforth man
who has been blind for five years
with glaucoma, said he's happy with
the town's response to his difficul-
ties with accessibility.
"I got what I
wanted. They're
going to plow my
sidewalk and
check the signs. I
hope it will make
life easier," he
said.
Boyd said he's
been complaining
to the town for a
number of years
about vehicles
that park, on side-
walks, blocking
his path as he
Susan Hundertmark photo
Seaforth Coun. Bob Fisher and Joe Boyd, who both use white
canes to get around town, explore some rusty street signs
that are low enough to bump into on George Street during a
recent tour of Boyd's neighbourhood with a Canadian National
Institute of the Blind (CNIB) accessibility expert.
Highway 8 between
Seaforth, Mitchell
added to province's list
A letter from Transportation Minister Donna
Cansfield informing Huron East council that the recon-
struction of Highway 8 between . Seaforth and Mitchlll
will be added to the Southern Ontario Highways
Program was distributed to councillors at their Dec. 19
meeting.
The letter says a site review of Highway 8 will be
arranged, with Huron East invited to send representa-
tives but no specific date has been set after a Dec. 8
date was cancelled due to severe winter weather.
The letter says Highway 8 through Dublin and
between Clinton and Seaforth has been rebuilt and that
the section from Goderich to Clinton is scheduled for
rebuilding starting in 2008.
"This past summer, I also travelled the highways of
Southwestern Ontario and know how important these
roads are. That is why we are monitoring the pavement
condition in this area and will make any needed
repairs," said the letter.
attempts to walk downtown with
his white cane.
As well, he's concerned about
walking into and getting hurt by
street signs that are too low, run-
ning into an iron bar sticking out of
a coat rack at the Seaforth arena
and walking into sandwich boards
located in the middle of the side-
walk downtown.
Clerk -Administrator Jack
McLachlan said he's investigating
putting Boyd's George Street home
on the route for sidewalk plowing in
the winter. While the street is not
on the list currently, the north side
is proposed to be plowed.
"We generally plow the sidewalks
based on the kids and their routes
to school but we've got to serve the
public," said McLachlan during a
recent phone interview.
McLachlan said the coat rack has
already been padded and the sand-
wich board issue has been referred
to the Seaforth Business
Improvement Area (BIA).
As well, the town is measuring
street signs to see if they can be
raised so that Boyd doesn't bump
his head on them.
"If we can get them as high as we
can, we will," said McLachlan.
Fisher said the town will also
inform the bylaw officer about the
areas in town where Boyd is
encountering vehicles parked on the
sidewalk.
"I truly believe the town will try
to make it easier but we can't do
everything," said Fisher. "People
still have to be aware of their envi-
ronment, and be careful them-
selves."
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