Stephen Pate surveys disabled parking and finds 8 spots missing
Council of the Disabled fails to deliver accessible parking at Canada Games
What happened with the scenes secret promise Greg Clayton of UPEI to make 12 disabled plarking places?
To: Wendy Guindon, PEI Council of Persons with Disabilities August 24, 2009
I was very disappointed in my visit to the Canada Games UPEI site on Saturday when there were only 4 disabled parking spots.
In your Thursday August 23rd 2009 email to PEI’s MLAs you stated that Greg Clayton VP Maintenance of UPEI promised 12 places.
“Dear Members of the PEI Legislature
“I wanted to give you an update on the disabled parking situation at UPEI. A collegue and I took a drive over this morning (ed. Thursday) to assess the parking situation for persons with disabilities to access the Canada Games site at UPEI. There were four spaces that are designated and have been painted with the Universal Symbol for persons with disabilities to park. In addition to this, a representative from UPEI came over to our office this morning and picked up 12 designated parking signs for the site. There will therefore be 12 designated spots.
“UPEI and Canada Games representatives have more than adequately covered parking for people with disabilities to enjoy the events being held there. I hope this clears up any misconceptions being stated.
“Respectfully, Wendy Guindon. PEI Council of People with Disabilities Council of the disabled try to grab spotlight
As you can see from the video I took at 11 AM on Saturday the 22nd, all Clayton did was install 4 signs where the painting was already done.
What happened?
I’m sick over this. We try so hard to help out and then people think they can do it themselves.
We need to work together. UPEI and Canada Games look like they are playing a game of divide and conquer which has worked for them temporarily.
After I read your email, it dawned on me Greg Clayton was never going to install 12 or 20 parking spaces. Even the ones there are only temporary.
Did you know Ron Poole of City Planning has been after Clayton for months to finish those spots?
Clayton knew that if he put in the regulation number of disabled parking spots for a 2 week event, he would have to install regulation disabled parking for all the students.
I personally think he is resisting that idea.
Please give me your comments and I will pass them along to our readers. Someone called for your dismissal last week but I think that is premature.
I’m sure you meant well.
Yours truly
Stephen Pate,
PEI Disability Alert
Charlottetown, PEI
hardtohandle
It is my understanding that certain individuals do not wish to deal with you because your particular style of reporting gives them the perception that you are difficult. I’ve also been told by some individuals that you seem to have an axe to grind and are promoting your own agenda.
I think the response to that sentiment is “nuts”.
Someone has to ask the tough questions and from my perspective neither CBC nor The Guardian have the integrity to overlook their respective bias and do their job.
Keep fighting the “good” fight. Everyone is entitled to have their opinion and so should you.