The city isn't properly meeting the needs of its residents with accessibility limitations and should be setting a better example, according to one resident who has spent time documenting problem areas.
Dorothea Ellis, who uses a scooter to get around in the summer and fall, said she is disappointed in the city and the "lack of care shown for [the] elderly and [the] people with disabilities."
Chief among the problems Ellis identified are the poor sidewalk conditions.
On Monday night, she presented council with a list of more than three dozen specific problem areas where access to sidewalks is hampered by a lack of, or poorly maintained access ramps, or where sidewalks themselves are in rough shape - if there is a sidewalk at all.
"Over the years, I have seen many positive strides which make us seem more accessible," said Ellis, but noted the city has a long way to go and that the needs are becoming "more pressing because of ongoing changes in our demographics."
The city's growing senior population is part of Ellis' concern, who cited Statistics Canada numbers that put the demographic at about 6,000 locally.
"I really admire what our now-seniors have done when they were our age. They did so much to make our lives better," said Ellis. "So now, having them not be able to feel safe in this city really bugs me a lot."
Another issue Ellis brought to council's attention was the lack of accessible entryways and washrooms in public buildings and private businesses.
While accessibility issues have been at the forefront for Ellis for her whole life - her father helped start the Child Development Centre - it wasn't until she switched from crutches to a chair that she became fully aware of just how complex the challenges are, she said.
According to her research, the only fully accessible washrooms in the city are located at Wal-Mart, the Keg and Pine Centre mall.
"We are denied the opportunity to spend our money where we want," she wrote in a letter to council. "Although some of these problems may not seem big, consider that an able-bodied person has the option to use any washroom or building in the city. I have to plan my trips outside my home based on where accessible washrooms exist and I cannot enjoy being out all day the way most people can."
She said the city needs to lead by example and cited city hall, the Civic Centre, Fort George Park and the Prince George Public Library as place with inadequate facilities; they either don't have enough space to accommodate wheelchairs in the washrooms, have stairs or the doors are too heavy.
"Unfortunately, it seems as though we or one of our loved ones have to be injured to lose mobility due to aging before we can become aware of or concerned about the deplorable conditions of the sidewalks and the lack of accessibility of our public washrooms," Ellis said.
Operations superintendent Bill Gaal acknowledged that there is a problem the city is trying to address.
"We are certainly aware of the desire and need to expand in this area," he said. "So every year we do attempt to expand our sidewalk accessibility in particular. We do have an operating budget that we use for that."
Council will approve the 2014 operations budget, which includes roads and sidewalks on Wednesday.
While council members all expressed interest in rectifying the situation, Ellis said she would reserve judgment until she actually sees some action.
"Many things have been said in the past and haven't been followed through on," she said.
It was a sentiment echoed by Ralph Allan, a member of the city's advisory committee on accessibility.
He said that for the better part of a year, the group has been compiling a database of problem sidewalks and will then keep track of when those issues are addressed.
"Talking about it is one thing, doing something is always something else," Allan said.
