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A locally designed Accessibility flag was raised at the Essex County Civic Centre and at Town Halls across the County Monday to mark National AccessAbility Week, which runs from May 28 to June 3.
The flag, designed by Kristine Verbeek and selected above others by the accessibility advisory committees of Essex County and the local municipalities, features the word “Accessibility” beneath a stylized figure in a wheelchair facing the right side of the flag, with a series of seven chevrons pointing in the same direction.
“We are raising this flag this morning to raise awareness about the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in our region,” said Kingsville Deputy Mayor Kimberly DeYong, County Council’s representative on the Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee. “The seven chevrons on this flag represent the seven local municipalities moving forward with accessibility together in the right direction. It acknowledges that we’ve made much progress but still have considerable work left to do.”
National AccessAbility Week is a time to celebrate:
- The valuable contributions and leadership of persons with disabilities in Canada
- The work of allies, organizations and communities that are removing barriers
- Ongoing efforts to become a more accessible and inclusive Canada
The theme for National AccessAbility Week this year is “Disability Inclusion: From Possibilities to Practice.”
“That means we have to keep envisioning a barrier-free world for all and then do the work necessary to achieve that notable goal,” said DeYong. “It won’t be easy but it is most certainly achievable if we continue to work collaboratively together.”
DeYong praised the ongoing efforts of the Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee and Chair Dennis Sanson.
“We are doing more than just raising a flag,” Sanson told the crowd gathered outside the Civic Centre Monday morning. “We are raising awareness and inspiring others to join our campaign for a more accessible community.”
Sanson encouraged residents of Essex-Windsor to wear red on Wednesday – Red Shirt Day of Action for Accessibility and Inclusion – and to share those posts on social media with the hashtags #RedShirtDay and #RedForAccessAbility.
Sanson also highlighted the committee’s ongoing efforts. The committee is exploring the possibility of delivering accessibility training to volunteer organizations and community groups, looking at bringing in guest speakers and organizing sessions highlighting invisible disabilities.
Later this summer, the committee plans on launching Phase 3 of its WE Check the Trails program, a crowd-sourcing initiative that invites trail users to identify accessibility issues on area trail networks.
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