New Westminster needs to find a way to ensure at least one of the city-owned elevators connecting folks to the waterfront remains operable at all times.
That’s the idea behind a motion put forward by Coun. Paul Minhas at council’s June 10 meeting.
“It is disheartening to know that there is no guarantee of at least one city-owned elevator being operational at all times, which hinders the minimum level of access for seniors, parents with strollers, and people with disabilities,” he said Monday night. “The lack of accessibility not only creates barriers for a significant portion of a community, but it also goes against the principles of inclusivity and equal opportunity.”
Minhas said it is “imperative” that the city act and ensure the waterfront remains accessible to all individuals regardless of their physical abilities.
“Guaranteeing the operation of at least one city-owned elevator at all times as a matter of basic human rights and dignity,” he said. “And the waterfront is a public space that should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their age, mobility, or physical condition. By failing to provide a reliable elevator service, we are effectively denying a significant portion of our community the opportunity to enjoy and utilize this valuable resource.”
At Monday’s meeting council considered Minhas’s two-part motion on the matter:
- That staff report back to council regarding the status of our city-owned/operated elevators (connecting our downtown to the waterfront) over the past year, including how many days they have been out of service.
- Staff report back with an action plan to ensure that at least one city-owned elevator always remains operable to ensure a minimum level of access to our waterfront.
“By developing and implementing a comprehensive action plan, we can ensure at least one city-owned elevator remains operational at all times,” Minhas said. “This action plan should include regular maintenance and inspections of existing elevators, repairs in case of breakdowns, and backup solutions to minimize disruptions.”
Currently, two elevators provide access to the waterfront.
- An elevator at the foot of Fourth Street, located on the Front Street parkade, provides access into Westminster Pier Park. (It opened in 2016 and has been closed numerous times through the years.)
- An elevator at the RiverSky development on Quayside Drive, accessed via the McInnes Street overpass, provides access to the riverfront.
Coun. Tasha Henderson said the city’s goal is to have working elevators.
“I think the goal of the city is always to have the elevators operating,” she said. “I'm not sure we need to set that goal to have them operating; I think that is the goal.”
Henderson noted that the director of engineering recently sent mayor and council a detailed email about the status of the elevators, informing them that staff are “already strategizing” about how to manage the elevators.
According to Henderson, the issue isn’t about the city’s will to have working elevators but about being “at the mercy” of scarce elevator repair technicians to respond when the elevators aren’t working.
“There's just no one there to do that work, which is why I think that the long-term solution is really to build more accessible infrastructure and not rely on elevators,” she said.
Henderson added that members of the city’s accessibility advisory committee have cited elevators as just one of the barriers accessing the riverfront.
She proposed three amendments to Minhas’s motion, with two of them calling on staff to report back to council on the issue via email, rather than a report.
“I just don't didn't see it necessary to be a report,” she said. “I think staff have indicated that where possible to avoid staff reports, because that's really arduous. And I think that this is kind of one of those ‘could have been an email moments.’”
Council unanimously approved three amendments put forward by Henderson.
- That staff report back to council by email regarding the status of our city-owned-operated elevators …. over the past year, including how many days they have been out of service.
- That staff report back to council via email as plans develop or change, to ensure that at least one city-owned elevator always remains operable to ensure a minimum level of access to our waterfront.
- That the broader conversation of the accessibility of the riverfront be referred to the accessibility advisory committee for ongoing discussion.
