Stanley Park traffic changes: Man with MS speaks out about impact

Stanley Park was a location wherever Robert Finest could love the outdoors and capture the serenity via images.

As his many sclerosis progressed, driving as a result of the park also gave Finest purpose.

“My responsibilities as a particular person were being diminishing,” explained Ideal. “(Driving) was some thing I could do that my spouse couldn’t do, so that was my id.”

Very best has been living with the continual disorder for about 30 yrs now.

Driving by way of Stanley Park, obtaining a parking location and obtaining lifted onto a wheelchair was not an easy feat, but it was a single of his favorite pastimes.

In April 2020, when minimal was acknowledged about COVID-19, the Vancouver Park Board shut down the crown jewel to motor vehicle targeted traffic as a way to reduce the distribute of the virus.

“When I listened to Stanley Park was closing, it was just making my globe smaller and scaled-down,” Best explained. “Basically, my everyday living is my condominium. And when I can’t get out properly, I just truly feel that is an infringement of my legal rights to get out and be aspect of the community.”

Even nevertheless website traffic was permitted by means of the park in June 2020, it has not gone back again to the way it was ahead of the pandemic.

With several parking spots absent to make area for a temporary bike lane on the street, driving has turn into challenging for Greatest.

“I just have to target on not hitting any pylons and concentrate on staying on the road and building it safe,” he stated, outlining the more concentration he employs with hand controls to manoeuvre the car. “It seems like a easy activity for several. But for me, it is a massive job to get through Stanley Park.”

Most effective is a single of five folks who have introduced a criticism in opposition to the Metropolis of Vancouver and Vancouver Park Board with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.

The hearing has been underway because March 11.

“I was happy that someone had taken them to task since it was the right thing to do,” stated Peter Brown, co-chair on Vancouver’s Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee.

Brown claimed no a person from the park board requested the advisory committee for input just before banning motor vehicle targeted traffic from coming into Stanley Park at the start of the pandemic.

He explained if they experienced been consulted, they would not have supported the notion.

“We do have a standard expertise that the park board does not have. We are the types who stay with disabilities, we know our limitations,” he reported.

He reported the crown jewel is more available now than it was in 2020, but there is still home for advancement.

A variety of city departments have reps that sit on the advisory committee, but Brown mentioned it’s been about 9 months considering the fact that any park board commissioner or park board workers had liaisons on the committee.

The park board did not react to queries from CTV News about the vacancies.

Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon, who was the very last liaison from the park board, did not return our e-mails about why he is no lengthier on the committee.

Brown reported human legal rights are difficult to create but easy to acquire absent, including that’s why the tribunal hearing is vital.

“The problem remains that you got to quit sluggish erosion of available legal rights at the start or you’re going to see what is taking place at Stanley Park transpire in an additional park and a further park. And it will be a little bit by bit by little bit, as they say, demise by a thousand cuts,” he claimed.

The hearing is expected to conclude on Tuesday, but it could take months for the tribunal to arrive up with a conclusion.
