Making life, not just buildings, accessible for disabled

'It’s about breaking down barriers, showcasing abilities and integrating as a community'

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 1, 2014
By Jeremy Grimaldi

Ken Faber doesn’t remember the 20-ft. fall that broke his neck and rendered the lower half of his body motionless. But he does remember the initial feeling of helplessness after being forced into the wheelchair he remains in today, almost 20 years later.

“It’s a big and drastic change, and something you think you’ll never have to go through,” said the building inspector who fell at a job site. “You think you know the challenges and obstacles, but you don’t.”

Once in the wheelchair he grew overworked, to the point that he didn’t recognize himself.

“I was overweight,” the 51-year-old added. That was until he started his own ballroom dancing class in Vaughan.

“It improved my strength and coordination. Dancing has even helped bring back feeling to arms, biceps and muscles,” he said. For Faber, attending the Markham Accessibility Fair is a chance to share the benefits he gets from dancing with others in a similar position.

This year’s event had a special focus on sports, occurring in the lead-up to the 2015 Parapan Am Games which will be heavily focused in Markham Aug. 7 to 15. Athletes from around the world will descend on Angus Glen for the para golf event. Table tennis and badminton are taking place at the Atos Markham Centre, set for its grand opening at the end of November.

On Saturday para athletes took time out to try their hand at activities including Tai Chi, goal ball, ballroom dancing and bocce ball.

Kristin Hayes, a member of the Markham Accessibility Advisory Committee, which organized the event at the Thornhill Community Centre, is a para athlete, dancer and synchronized swimmer.

She took to the water easily considering her condition called “brittle bones” or osteogenesis Imperfecta, resulted in countless trips to the emergency room as a child.

Even normal activities like crawling as a youngster could leave her in a cast. “I’ve always taken to the water,” Kristin, who has steel rods in her legs and back, said. “I remember that I felt safe and I felt free.”

Kristin doesn’t see her relegation to a wheelchair as a disadvantage. Just the opposite, she says, being on four wheels gives her a different perspective and allows her to help others, whom she might have otherwise never engaged with. “I see the world from a different angle,” says Kristin. “Using a wheelchair has offered me a unique perspective on life with many opportunities.”

She also believes it’s important for people with disabilities to get fit and socialize with others and believes the fair is the perfect place to learn about all the options out there.

“We work on improving accessibility in Markham,” she said. “When people think accessibility they think physical buildings, ramps and escalators, but it’s more than that, it’s about breaking down barriers, showcasing abilities and integrating as a community.”

Getting involved in activities such as these is not just about staying fit, according to Sergey Muretov, dance instructor at Wheel Dance, a not-for-profit. It also helps uplift those taking part. “It removes barriers, builds confidence,” he said. “It’s a social exercise that’s very uplifting.”

For more information call Markham’s accessibility initiatives, call 905-477-7000, ext. 3542.

The Atos Markham Pan Am Parapan Am Centre, will celebrate its grand opening event on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 16 Main St., Unionville.