Is Trois-Rivières an accessible city? Can people in wheelchairs live and move around there without too many problems? Vanessa Lavoie, mother of a 7-year-old boy in a wheelchair, answers this question.
Ms. Lavoie, her spouse and their two children arrived in Trois-Rivières less than a year ago. Settled in the Pointe-du-Lac sector, this newly arrived family from Trois-Rivières is happy to see that the main places they go to are practically all easily accessible.
“We come from the North Shore. Over there, about one in ten places is accessible. Here, it’s nine out of ten, she said. When we arrived in Trois-Rivières, the first thing I said to my relatives was that it was really easier here. »
The eldest of his sons is 9 years old and he is a great sportsman. Summer and winter alike, the family regularly visits the sports facilities in and around Trois-Rivières, both indoors and outdoors. She always goes there with Jacob, who is 7 years old and uses a wheelchair.
“In all of Trois-Rivières and the surrounding area, the only inaccessible baseball field is the one in Saint-Grégoire. Otherwise, all the other fields, I can bring Jacob to the stands easily, without too much effort, mentions Ms. Lavoie. With his chair, Jacob, it’s not far from 220 pounds to push. It has to be easy. the jackpot, this is the terrain of Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap with its long asphalt road. I have never seen anything done better than this. »
The family also likes to go to the Pie-XII park, which includes adapted game modules. “It’s a place where I can go and have fun with the two children. I like both at the same time, not just one or the other,” says Ms. Lavoie.
Winter, a challenge
According to her, everything related to sports facilities is generally easy to access and well adapted. Most of the places she goes with Jacob are accessible, from the parking lot to the place of activity. But the problem is winter.
“We don’t have the same snow removal criteria as the general population,” she says. With three or four centimeters of snow on the ground, the car passes without problem, but not the wheelchair. In three or four centimeters of snow, it becomes difficult. There are great risks of tipping over. We learn to adapt our schedule accordingly, to go to the grocery store for example. We choose our days to go out. »
But it’s not just that. Having a 7-year-old child in a wheelchair also means finding suitable outdoor activities for winter. Add to that that several indoor activities are no longer offered due to the pandemic and it becomes a real headache.
“In winter, many parks are not wheelchair accessible because of the snow,” notes Ms. Lavoie. In fact, in winter, there really isn’t a place outside to enjoy it with children in wheelchairs. I know there are adapted skis, but you have to be able to carry the child in your arms to the seat. There is room for improvement on this. It would take a lift. »
“In summer, you can go just about anywhere and take advantage of about 75% of the activities offered. But winter is more difficult, she adds. In times of COVID, the indoor centers are closed and we don’t even go to the rinks. There are no ramps to bring the wheelchair onto the ice. Jacob has always loved going on the ice in a wheelchair. »
With a removable ramp at the skating rink and a hoist in the ski and sliding centres, Vanessa Lavoie and her family would have everything they need to enjoy the joys of winter. “These are not big investments and it would already make a good difference for us,” she says.
All in all, the latter considers Trois-Rivières to be an accessible city. “It’s much easier to live here with a child in a wheelchair than in many other regions,” she says without hesitation.
