Accessible dock concerns prompt St. Marys accessibility review

By Galen Simmons

A St. Marys resident is urging the town to improve accessibility at the Thames River dock at Milt Dunnell Field, saying several barriers prevent people with disabilities from fully using the facility.

Speaking before council July 21, Sean Finch, who said he is disabled and works as a rehabilitation therapist, outlined concerns with the accessible dock, including large boulders that prevent vehicles from pulling up beside the dock to unload kayaks, the distance between the Yak Shack and the dock, and other accessibility challenges.

“I’ve noticed the town dock and ... before the town dock even got put in place, I’ve sent out many emails,” Finch told council. “The dock got put in. I was amazed. It was awesome. Pretty happy. And then ... all of a sudden these big boulders got put up.”

Finch said he was told the rocks were installed to prevent people from parking near the dock but believes they unnecessarily prevent people with disabilities from unloading watercraft close to the launch.

“I want the boulders removed,” he said. “Whether it be a parking area down there ... but for now, we can move the boulders so people can at least go down there, put some no-parking signs on there, so it’s not a parking lot. We have permission right now ... to be able to drive down there. We have that. So, there’s no reason that should be taken away from disabled people.”

According to a staff report, the Yak Shack is approximately 102 metres from the dock, requiring users to carry kayaks along a gravel pathway. Finch argued that distance presents a significant challenge for people with mobility limitations.

“People can’t get ... from the road to the dock. It’s very hard,” he said. “Now imagine a disabled person in a wheelchair. It’d be impossible to carry their kayak down there.”

He also questioned why the Yak Shack could not be relocated closer to the dock and asked to participate in the town’s accessibility review, noting his education as an occupational therapy assistant and physiotherapy assistant.

“I feel that I am more than qualified to help out with that,” Finch said.

Responding to questions from council, CAO Brent Kittmer said the town has retained Julie Sawchuk of Sawchuk Accessible Solutions to complete an accessibility audit of the dock, pathway and surrounding area.

“She will be doing an accessibility audit of the dock, of the pathway, the access, and providing us with an opinion related to our compliance with AODA, the design of public spaces,” Kittmer said.

“But really what her specialty is, is to look beyond those and then to give us ... improvements to the area to improve access.”

Kittmer said staff are also asking Sawchuk to examine how people can safely and easily move watercraft to the dock, while balancing accessibility with pedestrian and public safety.

He explained the pathways leading to the dock were designed primarily to allow town equipment access for seasonal dock installation and removal, not for public vehicle traffic.

“The staff of the day put the rocks in place because they were concerned about pedestrian safety,” Kittmer said. “There is a competing interest of public safety, traffic safety and accessibility, and they’re trying to do their best to find a solution.”

The Yak Shack’s location was also chosen because it sits outside the area’s highest flood-risk zone, he added, though the town plans to review that location with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority during an upcoming site visit.

Kittmer said council will receive the consultant’s recommendations once the review is complete.

“If she says, ‘You did the best you could, but here’s some improvements,’ we’ll make those improvements,” he said. “And if she says you were totally wrong and you need to do this differently, we will do it differently.”

While thanking Finch for bringing the concerns forward, Kittmer cautioned there is no guarantee the boulders will ultimately be removed if the review concludes they remain necessary to balance accessibility and public safety.