A few professors at UNBC are working to help more residents enjoy the outdoors with increased accessibility.
In conjunction with Spinal Cord Injury BC’s Access BC team, Drs. Mark Groulx, Shannon Freeman, and Pamela Wright are supporting work to create more barrier-free destinations in the province.
“We live in a province, and a country, that has some of the most magnificent natural environments,” said Groulx.
“The essence of this research really looks at whether or not all members of society have equitable access and opportunity to experience these amazing spaces.”
The team also UNBC grad student Jacob Cameron as well as numerous tourism and recreational partners.
As part of the $24,000 research grant, visits were made to outdoor tourism and recreation sites around B.C. in addition to the work Access BC already undertakes to collect data on accessibility needs.
“Access BC audits and measures where infrastructure, as well as environments, are accessible and where deficiencies might present barriers to those with mobility or visual limitations,” said Freeman, an associate professor, School of Nursing, UNBC.
“As researchers, we are trying to use our tools to help further improve their processes and efficiencies, and hopefully help build capacity for them so that they can do more of the great work that they do.”
Audits consider potential barriers to accessibility such as the widths of paths, slopes of trails, gaps between grates, and heights of washroom sinks and toilets.
The research work has led to the development of a new digital tool that will help Access BC in streamlining processes and collation of data for reports that can be shared with recreational, municipal, and tourism stakeholders around potential planning for space upgrades.
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