By Jeff Labine

Community leaders take a seat for accessibility

May 24, 2017 | 5:00 PM

Most people don’t have a problem with stairs and steps but wheelchair user Blair Morgan considers them his arch nemesis.

“That’s my biggest peeve, really,” he said.

Morgan’s motorcycle riding career came to an abrupt end in 2008 following a crash in Montreal that severed his spine. The 41-year-old described the crash as a simple fall that ended with him in a wheelchair.

Before the crash, he had been racing for roughly 20 years.

He said he understood the risks but he never thought it would happen to him.

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“I was kind of nearing the end of my career and it kind of forced me into retirement,” he said. “It was a tough go for a while but as the years go on, it kind of fades away.”

Morgan was on hand to share his story at a lunch for the first province-wide Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan Chair Leader event, which saw community leaders use wheelchairs for the day. The goal of the event was to raise awareness to the challenges those with mobility issues face on a daily basis.

Morgan said older buildings are the hardest to deal with.

“Especially on Central there’s a big step to go into the businesses,” he said. “Newer places are pretty accessible because I think that’s code now. Sometimes I just steer clear of the businesses that aren’t accessible. That’s their problem.”

Mayor Greg Dionne, along with TD Bank’s Chris Sadler, and Indian Metis Friendship Centre’s Janet Carriere spent their work day using a wheelchair.

Dionne said he learned a lot from his experience as he believed the city should be accessible to all people.

“As people who can walk, we take things for granted but when you are stuck in a wheelchair, it’s totally different,” he said. “I thought this was no big deal for me. I’m in a building that has an elevator and a ramp but I couldn’t get to the washroom. My wheelchair won’t go into the washroom.”

Dionne said for the most part, the city is doing well to make itself accessible, but he admit the process could go faster. He stressed all buildings should be made accessible.

The mayor will also be accepting donations for the spinal cord association until Friday at his office.

Lyn Brown, executive director of Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan, called the event a success as all three community leaders had their eyes open to the issue of accessibility. She said this was the first time the event was held in Prince Albert.

“There will be more, and more of us with mobility challenges,” she said. “If we start now to think about awareness and design of our communities into the future and more inclusivity for all of these diverse situations, the more successful we will be in the future.”

She added at the moment, the province doesn’t force all buildings to be accessible to wheelchairs, although that is the goal Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan is working towards.

Jeff.labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter