Wheelchair Accessible Van for West Kootenay Project

A survey can be viewed and downloaded here: Click here

The Age Friendly Community Initiative has determined that there is no public access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle in the West Kootenays and is working with the community to address this gap in transportation services for seniors and other persons with mobility challenges.

This work is also part of the Moving Together project which finds solutions to seniors’ transportation barriers.Do you or someone you know use a wheelchair and have trouble getting around? Do you think it would be great to be able to rent a wheelchair accessible van when you need one to take a senior friend or family member out and about?

In 2014, a local resident was unable to make arrangements to bring her parent – who uses a wheelchair – to a family event. After some investigation she found that there are no Nelson taxis that can accommodate a wheelchair nor is it possible to rent an accessible vehicle from a car rental agency in the area. According to Spinal Cord Injury BC, they often receive calls from people needing wheelchair accessible transportation in the West Kootenay and Nelson area. The examples given range from a parent wanting to attend her daughter’s graduation to a gentleman planning travel to this area by plane but realizing there would be no ground transportation available to him once he got here.

To help address this transportation barrier for seniors and persons with different abilities, and the families and agencies that support them, the AFC Initiative has partnered with Kootenay Carshare Cooperative and the Nelson & District Seniors Coordinating Society to explore adding a wheelchair accessible van to the Kootenay Carshare fleet. Carsharing allows you to book the vehicle when you need it and only pay for the time you used it and the kilometres you drove.

A survey has been created to determine the level of need for the service. We are asking any interested area resident to fill out this brief survey. The survey can be viewed, filled in and downloaded here. Please help us determine if we need this transportation resource for seniors and persons with disabilities in our community. The survey deadline has been extended to July 31st – please fill out a survey today

Print versions of the survey can be picked up at Nelson CARES Society and Seniors Coordinating Society.

For information about the Wheelchair Accessible Van project or the Age Friendly Community Initiative contact 250-352-6011 or seniorsproject@nelsoncares.ca. For more information on how Carsharing works visit www.carsharecoop.ca.