Travel
By sharing our adventures with the disability community, we can create a database of accessible places to visit. From flying abroad to an ideal picnic spot in your own town - tell us about it. Too much time is spent navigating barriers in this largely inaccessible world, let's fill this space with access friendly destinations, where all we have to think about is enjoying our time.
Please Note: we may include our names on these pages, everyone else will be identified as “Contributor” or “Peer” unless express permission has been given. If you have any comments or feedback on anything posted, please contact us.
Subject: VIA Rail Canada Accessibility
Posted: May 6, 2022
VIA Rail Canada Accessibility
Melanie: A friend of ours let us know that she uses VIA as a mode of transportation. She has had positive experiences and has found it to meet her accessibility needs.
Looking at the Via site... I have to admit I felt overwhelmed. So many more steps... and fine print. Via also uses the word "special" A LOT. Gregory Mansfield (Disabled Lawyer @GHMansfield) has commented on the term extensively... pointing out that "The so-called special needs of disabled people are the product of an ableist society that turns the human needs of disabled people into a burden". It shouldn’t be this hard.
I would imagine that people have had both positive and negative experiences with opting for the train. I would love to hear what your experience has been… the good the bad and everything in between.
Via: We offer an environment where everyone can travel autonomously and confidently. To ensure the greatest ease and comfort of travel, we also provide special assistance services. Do you have a disability or reduced mobility? Here’s what we can do for you.
Subject: fuelService App
Posted: February 4, 2022
fuelService App
Wallace & Melanie: We discovered this app when flipping through SCIO's Community Magazine Winter 2021/2022. We have just started using it. We have reached out to the organization and wrote the following "We use full service Husky stations and they are AMAZING. How do we get stations added? Or what can we provide to stations so that they can link with your program?" When we hear back, we will update this post. To learn more, click on the link below… then download the app!
fuelService: Filling up the car is one of the biggest challenges for disabled drivers. But its also a challenge for gas stations to help, sometimes they have people available, but sometimes they are single manned and can't help for security reasons. For the disabled driver they don't know which station can help, which can mean driving from station to station to find one that can help. But when they get to the station its hard to get the attention of the gas station staff. Beeping the horn and holding up your disabled card is embarrassing. Worse still, if the gas station can't help because they are single manned they can't even come out to say they can't help.
Subject: WheelMate App
Posted: February 4, 2022
WheelMate App
Wallace & Melanie: We found out about this app from SCIO's Community Magazine Winter 2021/2022. Coloplast created it! The more we use it and populate it, the more useful it will become. To learn more, click on the link below… then download the app!
Are you a disability ally? You can help by downloading the app and populating the database!
WheelMate: WheelMate gives you an instant overview of your nearest wheelchair-friendly toilets and parking spaces on an interactive map. It is powered by wheelchair users who add and verify every single location themselves, ensuring it works the way it should. It is easy and simple to use, and it is free!
Subject: AccessNow App
Posted: February 4, 2022
AccessNow App
Wallace & Melanie: We learned about AccessNow from SCIO's Community Magazine Winter 2021/2022. This is a great way to collect data and share it with others. To learn more about the organization, click on the link below... then download the app!
Are you a disability ally? You can help by downloading the app and populating the database!
AccessNow: At AccessNow our mission is to establish a go-to resource for accessibility information. We are building a connected platform to empower all people to discover a world of accessible opportunities, make better decisions and remove barriers. Leveraging our intelligent technology, we are learning how accessible the world is and mapping as many places as we possibly can. We invite you to join us. A worldwide community, passionate about change, together we can empower each other to have access now. Every review added to our platform is one more instance of advocacy, one more experience that highlights the accessibility of a place. Every pin, every review counts..
Subject: Travelling Without Barriers - by Miriam Osborne for the Fall 2021 CAA Magazine
Posted: November 15, 2021
Travelling Without Barriers
Melanie: We received 2 copies of the Fall 2021 CAA Magazine. We try to minimize the mail we get that could end up in the recycling, so Wallace and I discussed cancelling the magazine. Why did we need a magazine? We can go on their website or call CAA with any questions we have. Then Wallace pointed out the article "Travelling Without Barriers" by Miriam Osborne.
I liked the article because I did not know there were CAA agents who specialize in travel for people with disabilities. Wallace organizes almost all of our travel plans and he does a stellar job, but he doesn't always have time. I don't seem to have the patience for it, so reaching out to an agent would be helpful for me. Articles like this are also important because they challenge the ableist assumption that people with disabilities don't travel. It is upsetting when Wallace and I are out (even at a grocery store) and someone makes a comment to Wallace like "it's good to see you out"...
With that said... I wonder if the title "Travelling Despite Barriers" is a more accurate description... So much more has to go into planning and reseraching if places or activities are accessible. And even though it shouldn't, it does cost more.
Subject: SCIO's Accessible Ontario: The Province’s Top 10 Best Accessible Parks
Posted: July 28, 2021
SCIO's Accessible Ontario: The Province’s Top 10 Best Accessible Parks
Melanie: Now that the province is opening up a bit more, and most of us have had an opportunity to be fully vaccinated, some of us are making plans to get out and see a bit of the world.
Accessible Ontario: The Province’s Top 10 Best Accessible Parks is another great resource found on the SCIO website.
It would be great to add your travel stories on this page. Tell us about your adventures!
Subject: Travel Websites Created by Travellers with Disabilities
Posted: July 16, 2021
Travel Websites Created by Travellers with Disabilities
Melanie: I was going through SCIO’s Cortree portal to see what I could learn today, and I came across a link for “FAQs: Travelling”. You can access their education centre by registering for Cortree HERE.
As our ability to safely travel returns, it would be nice to do some exploring. The reality is, it can be difficult to find places that are truly accessible - it’s not a one size fits all.
When checking out the “FAQs: Travelling” page, I took a quick look at 5 travel websites by travellers with disabilities. They only blog about the places they themselves have vetted and can recommend. It appears they are all based out of the US. If anyone knows of any Canadian counterparts, please let us know – we like to have as much Canadian content as possible.
It would be great to populate this page with the accessible places YOU’VE been to. Share with the community by sending us information and photos of the places you love to visit!
Subject: The Trains of the Netherlands
Posted: February 20, 2021
The Trains of the Netherlands
Wallace: One of my favourite trips was to Rotterdam (a city in the Netherlands). I travelled there on my own (about 20 years ago) with just a backpack of my supplies (catheters, leg bags etc.), some clothes and my wheelchair. It was a very accessible city, the public transit was great. My favourite part of the trip was travelling by train. I could hop on and off when I wanted, making independent travel a breeze. I wish I could remember the name of the hotel I stayed in. They had roll in “wet” washrooms - making it so easy to clean up after a day of adventuring. So much of what we have to deal with day-to-day is attitudinal barriers - that was not an issue there. I was treated as I should be, no different than anyone else.