KAWARTHA LAKES-One in four people in Ontario have a disability. Disabilities can be both visible and invisible and encompass physical, mental and neurological conditions.
Officials say in Kawartha Lakes, many unsung heroes are doing their part to level the playing field to create equal access to community life. To shed light on the challenges and recognize the community’s Accessibility Champions, each spring the Kawartha Lakes Accessibility Advisory Committee (KLAAC), a group of volunteers that advises Council, seeks out the accessibility leaders of our community — employers, program designers, service providers, shopkeepers, friends and families — to celebrate them in a special award ceremony. These are the people who go above and beyond the casual helping hand, who thoughtfully initiate improvements to overcome barriers to inclusion.
Read more about the awards and see the 2023 recipients by visiting our news release or the Kawartha Lakes Accessibility webpage. Nominate someone by completing an Accessibility Awareness Recognition Award Form.
Nominations are welcome all year round; the deadline for 2024 nominations is Friday March 15, 2024.
There are a variety of categories to nominate for:
- A business, group or individual: A person or group that has made an outstanding contribution in the past year to improve or promote awareness around accessibility.
- New building or modification: An innovative infrastructure project followed the design principles and removed barriers for individuals with disabilities.
- Barbara McArthur Memorial Award of Distinction: In memory of Barbara McArthur, the founder and first Chair of the KLAAC, the nominee has devoted time and energy beyond normal expectations and promoted public awareness and education.
The pandemic has seen even more accessibility challenges than usual, with limitations to services, access to groceries and essentials, barriers to communications and the need to social distance and isolate.
