Engagement overview

In fall 2020, accessible parking users and stakeholders were invited to share their experiences using City-owned accessible parking stalls. Public and stakeholder engagement included an online public survey, which received 167 responses, and stakeholder interviews with Accessible Okanagan, CRIS Adaptive Adventures, Pathways Abilities Society, and People in Motion.

Purpose of engagement: to better understand the specific barriers that accessible parking users encounter

What we heard: engagement results

The key findings from the public and stakeholder consultation are noted as follows:

To summarize, top improvements to accessible parking include the design of accessible parking, calls for additional accessible parking supply in the context of a growing senior population, improved enforcement, keeping accessible parking free, and improved maintenance and snow clearance, particularly during the winter.

Who we heard from

Most survey respondents identified as someone with a mobility challenge that drives independently (57% of respondents), followed by a caregiver or disability organization employee (33%), and lastly someone with a mobility challenge and required assistance driving (10%).

The majority of survey respondents were 45 and older (middle-aged and senior), consistent with the City’s demographic profile of people with disabilities and/or mobility challenges.

Next steps

Proposed changes to the accessible parking program are detailed on the main project page. Please review the recommendations, answer the quick poll and share any additional feedback in the comments section. Your comments and results of the quick poll will inform the final recommendations, which will be presented to Council for consideration in fall 2021.