Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Celebrates National Access Awareness Week in Vaughan

The presentation included comments from Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Meenu Sikand, Chair of the Vaughan Accessibility Advisory Committee. A song performance and art display was presented by special needs participants from the Vaughan Connect Program and members of Alternatives, a program for individuals living with developmental challenges.

“The City of Vaughan was honoured that the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario visited our community for this special event to mark National Access Awareness Week,” said Mayor Bevilacqua. “An enlightened city is an inclusive city, one where everyone is valued and respected, and it is our goal to make the City of Vaughan accessible to everyone. Accessibility is about more than just a door that opens for you – it’s about creating a world where everyone is included, regardless of their ability. Our mission is to move this city forward without leaving anyone behind.”

The Honourable David C. Onley is Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor, and is the nation’s most highly placed advocate for accessibility. His Honour has championed disability issues on many fronts and for many years. Having lived with polio and post-polio syndrome since the age of three, he has broken through social barriers and become a role model. In his 22-year career with Citytv, he was Canada’s first senior newscaster with a visible disability. A popular news anchor, host/producer, science and technology specialist, and weatherman, he showed that ability outshines disability.

The Vaughan Accessibility Advisory Committee, in conjunction with the City of Vaughan Recreation and Culture Department, hosted free leisure activities at recreation facilities across Vaughan June 2-8, in support of National Access Awareness Week. The various activities showcased the City’s partnerships and special needs programs that help people with disabilities become an integrated part of the community.

“The City of Vaughan has worked hard to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities in our community,” said Interim City Manager Barbara Cribbett. “As a City we are committed to meeting the needs of everyone, and to implementing programs and initiatives that continue to make our community an inclusive and accessible place where everyone enjoys a great quality of life.”

NAAW is an annual event that encourages Canadians to recognize and remove barriers faced by people with disabilities, and to celebrate achievements made both by and for persons with disabilities. This year’s theme is “Ready and Able to Work.” Established in 1988, NAAW challenges Canadians to form partnerships in their communities and make concrete improvements to the accessibility of services and facilities including transportation, housing, employment, recreation, education and communications.

The Vaughan Connect program encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities in all programs and services. Through integrated and specialized programs, persons with disabilities are encouraged to participate in diverse recreational opportunities city-wide, at a level of participation suitable to their ability and program choice. All programs are designed to focus on community awareness and social interaction outside the family unit. The program helps special needs individuals develop social skills, set goals, express feelings appropriately, take turns and initiate conversations, and make new friends.


                                             
                               Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua presents a gift to the Honourable David C. Onley, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. 

                                              
                                               Song performance by special needs participants from the Vaughan Connect Program                                 
                                          and members of Alternatives, a program for individuals living with developmental challenges.