The Maple Ridge Leisure Centre will have fully accessible change rooms thanks to a grant from the federal government.
A $50,000 grant from the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund will go towards three fully accessible change rooms each equipped with a ceiling lift, a change table and a shower.
The Enabling Accessibility Fund supports the capital costs of construction and renovations relating to improving physical accessibility and safety for people with disabilities in Canada.
“I am delighted to see the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre upgrade was able to access $50,000 from the EAF,” said Maple Ridge Member of Parliament Dan Ruimy.
“It is gratifying to see this collaboration between the Federal Government and the City towards a shared goal of making the spaces we all enjoy fully accessible for all citizens,” Ruimy continued.
Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden thanked Jean-Yves Duclos, the Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development for creating the fund.
“Any time the City has an opportunity to upgrade existing facilities or build new ones we take every opportunity to raise the bar on accessibility and inclusiveness,” said Morden.
“In the coming weeks we will be making a submission to the EAF for the new Albion Community Centre project to ensure that this new community hub will be a model for inclusiveness and access for all citizens,” he said, thanking MP Dan Ruimy for his hard work in securing the grant for the Leisure Centre upgrade.
“I know he will be a strong voice for the Albion Community Centre grant application,” added Morden.
For more information about the Leisure Centre upgrade please contact Danielle Pope, Director of Recreation and Community Engagement at 604-467-7447 or email dapope@mapleridge.ca.
The City of Maple Ridge has also received three new Zero Waste Stations courtesy of the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society.
City Parks Operations and Community Events staff have installed the stations in Memorial Peace Park to ensure more waste from large community events held in the park is diverted from landfills to the recycling stream.
“We tested the concept of the Zero Waste Stations as part of the last couple of Earth Day events at Memorial Peace Park,” explained Kim Day, executive director of Ridge Meadows Recycling Society.
“We’ve refined our messages and are confident that these new bins can all but eliminate the need for garbage cans. We are so proud that the City has made them a permanent part of the heart of our community. It’s been a wonderful collaboration,” said Day.
The Zero Waste Stations were installed in late October, on time for the Celebrate the Night celebration and the Remembrance Day ceremony and the upcoming Christmas in the Park and Santa Claus Parade.
“The stations have an educational component that helps citizens understand what items can be diverted from the waste stream into recycling. I applaud the RMRS for the development work they did on the Zero Waste Stations,” said Erin Gorby, manager of parks and open spaces.
“They are a hit with our citizens and help ensure that our parks remain clean and reflects the City’s values around recycling and sustainability,” Gorby added.
For more information about the Zero Waste Stations and the RMRS programs visit rmrecycling.org.