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By Ryan Brink

 At 5pm on Friday Mayor Kerry Cook and Marg Hansen from the Williams Lake Accessibility Committee and stepmother of Rick Hansen, cut the ribbon signifying the opening of the new play area in the Kiwanis Park.

 The play area is much safer now, with walkways made from recycled tires, providing better traction than the loose gravel they replaced. Other improvements include extra padding in areas with potential falls, such as the swings.

The playground is now wheelchair accessible, with guarded and curbed edges and signs in Braille. It also has a new jungle gym and an overall, fresh new look. It’s colourful, safe and fun for all kids, with more than 20 new trees planted around the perimeter of the park. The cost of the update and renovation to Kiwanis Park was $300,000 and the contract went to Habitat for Humanity.Terry Tyab, one of Williams Lake’s residents living with a disability and also a member of the Williams Lake Accessibility Committee, talked about the importance of making sure that all people have access.  “Many seniors are hesitant to go down town in their power chairs because they are afraid they will tip over on the unsafe curbs around town,” she said. “Before the Williams Lake Accessibility Committee got it fixed, the worst curb in town was in front of City Hall.”

The Williams Lake Accessibility Committee, which meets the first Monday of every month at City Hall, was instrumental in getting the new playground in place, and works hard to make the city more disability-friendly. The advocate for things like lower and safer curbs for wheelchairs and power chairs and more handicap parking spaces.

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