Thursday May 12, 2016
I had a great day with 3 ladies from Alberta Parks today. We
went on a little road trip on this snowy day to the Barrier Lake tourist
information building. Needless to say we picked a good day as there were not
many people milling about in the centre. The main reason we were there was to
do a physical space audit on the facility to improve accessibility. Although “audit”
has a negative connotation attached to it and it strikes fear in the heart of
many people, this was not a witch hunt or a recrimination towards Parks. Rather
it was initiated by Alberta Parks as a way of taking stock and being mindful of
how we can bring more people to the natural wonders of Alberta. We looked at the
space and especially the bathroom which is problematic for most people with
limited mobility.
We also took a look at the Bow Valley Campground. We checked
the shower building, the sites near the shower building, sites with electricity and
water. It is a beautiful campground in the heart of trees and the river. The
bathrooms are located in strategic distances from groups of camping sites. I would
love to camp there...when it is a little warmer than the day we went.
The information we accumulate will be available to the
public through the Alberta Parks website Alberta Parks -inclusion and accessibility.
Stay tuned as I have my next adventure into nature later this month.
