Please create accessible parks!

I was born and raised in Chilliwack and have lived here my entire life! In February 2019 my youngest daughter Ivy was born. She is a congenital amputee, and has shown me from day one that she has unparalleled zest for life and an adventurous, fearless spirit. She absolutely loves to play and we’ve been visiting local parks since she was only a few months old. But I’ve quickly learned that our parks are not accessible, particularly when it comes to wood chips. I understand that it’s likely the most affordable option, but wood chips are NOT accessible. It’s difficult enough to push a stroller over wood chips, let alone a child push themselves in a wheelchair. But it also presents a challenge to kids with various mobility issues, including kids who use walkers, ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), lifted shoes, or kids who prefer to crawl or scoot. It’s an uneven, unstable surface that makes it even more difficult to balance on. In the case of my daughter, who was born without hands, she uses her feet as her hands and often goes barefoot because of this. But with the risk of slivers from the wood chips, she can’t be comfortable. Our parks have a very long way to go to become inclusive for ALL children. Accessibility is a human right and it is sadly being denied to so many children in Chilliwack right now. Take a look at our parks, and try to see them through a lense of disability. Can ALL children truly ENGAGE, play, and be included? Can they truly play with their peers without facing barriers? Sadly, the answer is no. And a great place to start is by removing wood chips, especially from local neighbourhood parks and school parks.