The Community ACCESS-ability Program in the Valley

SERVICE N.S./MUNICIPAL RELATIONS--The Community ACCESS-ability Program in the Valley

The following is a feature story from Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations on grants provided through the Community ACCESS-ability program to community groups in the Valley.

People with disabilities will have more freedom to enjoy indoor and outdoor activities in the Valley because of funding from Nova Scotia's Community ACCESS-ability program.

Saint Anne's Anglican Youth Camp in Lake Clear, Annapolis Co., received a grant to install accessible ramps, stairs, platforms and railings.

"The renovations give people with disabilities the freedom to get around by themselves," said David Rudolph, secretary/treasurer of the camp. "It gives them independence and makes more of the camp facilities usable and more enjoyable."

The camp has been operating for over 50 years. A variety of organizations use the facilities.

"The camp is made up of separate buildings like bunkhouses, washrooms and a dining hall," said Mr. Rudolph. "Before the renovations, people with disabilities had to be carried into the buildings. Now all the facilities at the camp are available to everyone."

Community ACCESS-ability was implemented to improve access to community facilities for seniors and people with disabilities. The program provides financial assistance to non-profit groups and municipalities for renovations, installations or equipment to ensure that buildings are accessible to all Nova Scotians.

The New Minas Baptist Church Hall will install a mechanical lift. The lift will give seniors and people with disabilities much easier access to the kitchen, gym and other facilities on the lower level of the building.

"Right now, people with disabilities can't go from one part of the building to another from inside," said Ron Wright, trustee of New Minas Baptist Church. "Anybody in a wheelchair has to be taken outside and wheeled around to the back of the building to another door. It's a worse situation when the weather is bad."

The facility is used for many activities, including Sunday school classes, church suppers, receptions, committee meetings, badminton, volleyball, youth group meetings, child care and family activities. Accessibility to the lower floor has been a problem for families in the community.

"We've had to turn away children in wheelchairs from the daycare because it's on the bottom floor and we have no way of safely getting them in and out of the building," said Mr. Wright. "Through the fall and winter, the church holds family night. It's been difficult because the service is upstairs and other activities are downstairs. The building will be totally accessible when the lift is in place."

Under the program, the provincial government gives grants of up to two-thirds of the cost of renovations, installations and equipment. Local organizations are responsible for raising the remainder of the cost. The maximum grant available for individual projects is $10,000.

"We want to help seniors and people with disabilities enjoy equal access to places that are the heart and soul of their communities," said Angus MacIsaac, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations. "These are places where local people plan, participate and celebrate as a community."

The program has been operating since May 2000. This is the third year of the four-year $1.2-million program, and all funding for this fiscal year has been committed. To date, the program has supported 139 projects, worth about $900,000, of which a third was distributed in 2002.

Information and applications are available from Access Nova Scotia centres, the Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Web site at www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/ or by calling toll-free 1-800- 670-4357.

NOTE: The following is a list of projects approved under the Community ACCESS-ability program for the Valley area since the program began in 2000.

Annapolis County

• Annapolis Valley Exhibition, Lawrencetown: $4,816
• Bear River Oakdene Centre, Bear River: $7,500
• Brickton Community Hall, Kingston: $4,229
• Lawrencetown United Baptist Church Hall, Lawrencetown: $1,952
• Lower Granville Community Hall, Annapolis Royal: $2,455
• Maitland Bridge Community Hall, Maitland Bridge: $7,113
• Middleton Curling Club and Hall, Middleton: $8,990
• Saint Anne's Anglican Youth Camp, Bridgetown: $7,932
• Smart Enterprise Centre, Cornwallis Park: $10,000
• Three Rivers Community Centre, Wilmot: $7,300
• Town Hall, Bridgetown: $2,997
• Town Hall, Middleton: $10,000

Kings County

• Centre Stage Theatre, Kentville: $6,392
• Church of the Nazarene Lower Hall, New Minas: $4,729
• Halls Harbour Old Schoolhouse (CAP site), Centreville: $8,859
• Kingsport Community Hall, Canning: $10,000
• Kingsport Wharf Ramp, Canning: $10,000
• Landmark East Academic Centre, Wolfville: $10,000
• New Minas Baptist Church Hall, New Minas: $7,882
• St. John's Anglican Church Hall, Wolfville: $7,706
• Town of Wolfville Town Hall, Wolfville: $2,835
• Wolfville Curling Club, Wolfville: $1,848