At their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 21, Town of Essex Council officially declared the week of May 26 to June 1 as AccessAbility Week in the municipality.
The proclamation is part of a national effort to recognize the importance of accessibility and inclusion in communities and workplaces, as well as a time to celebrate the contributions of Canadians with disabilities.
“This proclamation serves as a reminder that we need to continue to work to address the stigma and social isolation of people with disabilities,” said Mayor Larry Snively. “As a municipality, we play an important role in ensuring that all citizens feel included in the community they call home.”
The Town’s AccessAbility Week efforts will include a social media campaign to inform the community, as well as a citizen survey seeking feedback on potential barriers that people with disabilities face in the municipality. Responses from the survey will be provided to the Town’s Accessibility Advisory Committee for consideration and potential future action.
“As a committee, we serve as a voice for those individuals who often face additional barriers towards participating fully in community life,” said Richard Kokovai, committee chair. “We ask all residents, particularly those with disabilities, to fill out the survey and let us know how we can make our community more accessible and inclusive.”
The survey is available online at www.essex.ca/accessibilitysurvey or in paper at the Town’s recreation facilities (Essex Centre Sports Complex, Essex Recreation Complex, and the Harrow and Colchester South Community Centre) as well as at the municipal office in Essex Centre.
Submissions will be accepted until Friday, June 21 at 4:00pm.
