The Town of Ladysmith is seeking the residents’ input on its proposed plan to make the municipality more accessible.
Last month, it launched a public consultation effort of the town’s first-ever Accessibility Plan, a 24-page draft document exploring ways to reduce barriers for community members with disabilities.
Informed by Ladysmith’s two-year-old Accessibility Advisory Committee, members of the public have until Oct. 29 to share their feedback.
“It’s really great to see our community come together to make inclusion a reality,” said Jordan Herbison, a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee. “We want everyone to feel they can fully participate in community life.”
Presented as a comprehensive three-year roadmap, the draft plan was informed by both the Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Town of Ladysmith’s council.
It proposes ways the municipality might identify, remove, and prevent future barriers for Ladysmith residents with disabilities or facing accessibility challenges.
The draft plan’s focus include proposals to strengthen the town’s facilities, communications and public spaces so they can be more accessible.
What accessibility in Ladysmith should look like
The Accessible B.C. Act, introduced in 2021, requires all municipalities to establish accessibility committees, create accessibility plans, and set up mechanisms for public feedback.
The legislation requires municipal leaders to identify local needs and take tangible action to “address barriers to the full and equal participation of people with disabilities,” according to the province.
Ladysmith’s Accessibility Advisory Committee was formed in spring 2023 and included seven voting members from the community, town staff and council.
For more than two years, this team held monthly meetings to discuss drafting the proposal.
In its early stages, the committee focused on building relationships and sharing perspectives, later followed by reviewing data and drafting the plan.
“We had members on the committee with lived experience, as well as those who work closely with individuals facing barriers,” Herbison said.
“Hearing those perspectives early on helped shape what accessibility should look like here.”
Committee members also noted Ladysmith’s unique challenges with a larger older population, steep terrain and several heritage buildings that can pose accessibility issues.
The plan aims to find creative ways to adapt public infrastructure while preserving the town’s character. Town of Ladysmith Councillor Amanda Jacobson, who also sat on the accessibility committee, said the plan marks “a significant step for the community” and reflects collaboration between the town and residents.
The committee reviewed accessibility strategies from Nanaimo, Courtenay and Duncan working to construct a plan they felt was best-tailored to the residents’ needs.
Meetings included residents with disabilities, professionals advocating for more accessibility, and other local advocates to discuss lived experiences — intended to ground the proposed plan in community perspectives.
‘This plan isn’t just a symbolic step’
Now, the town wants to hear from you. The draft plan is available on the municipality’s engagement website, Let’s Talk Ladysmith, where residents can read the draft and submit comments until Oct. 29.
“This is really about ensuring Ladysmith continues to be a welcoming municipality,” Jacobson said. “We want to consider the needs of all citizens in everything we do.”
Printed copies of the draft document are also available at City Hall and Frank Jameson Community Centre.
Both Herbison and Jacobson emphasized the draft plan is a “living document,” meaning that it will evolve with time and community feedback.
“Consulation is a big part of it,” said Herbison. “The plan will continue to change what the community needs.”
Once it is finished, the plan will be reviewed annually, Jacobson explained, with staff and council reporting on how much progress was made, reassessing its goals, and incorporating new ideas or technologies.
“It’s open for amendments and adjustments,” she said. “We don’t just check off the list and move on.
“This plan isn’t just a symbolic step, it’s meant to lead to real improvements in accessibility across our town.”
One of the biggest challenges during drafting the plan, Herbison said, was “figuring out what’s within the town’s control.”
So while private-sector developments, for example, are managed by developers, the municipality “can still encourage inclusive design,” she explained.
As Ladysmith moves forward towards its first Accessibility Plan, Council and committee members hope their efforts will set a foundation for lasting change.
They see it as a roadmap, but also a promise — one they hope will inspire Ladysmith residents to participate, share their ideas and experiences, and help their community become one where everyone can feel safe and at home, regardless of their abilities.
