Accessibility grant benefits Kelowna but Cranbrook’s much larger grant sits idle

KELOWNA, BC, April 10, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State for Social Development, and the Honourable Ron Cannan, Member of Parliament for Kelowna–Lake Country, today announced improved access for Canadians with disabilities to programs and services in their community.

The Starbright Children's Development Centre is receiving just over $3,000 from the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) to improve accessibility for Canadians with disabilities. The funding will be used to install electric door mechanisms at two of the Centre's main entrances to improve access to the building in a safe way.

Cranbrook had the opportunity to improve accessibility to Firehall No 1 with a $50,000 grant obtained by the Cranbrook and District Arts Council in the fall of 2014, for that purpose.  Cranbrook City Council’s decision to sell the Firehall means those dollars will very soon need to be returned to the government unused.  Meanwhile the Firehall sits empty with no improvements having been made since the asbestos was removed in 2014 under the Memorandum of Understanding that was part of the Arts Council Agreement.