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It’s not A Story of Two Cities.
Right here in Calgary, whereas development crews and heavy equipment had been busy conducting excavation work in preparation for a $1.2-billion occasion centre, one other much-loved recreation centre — described as a “house away from house” for tens of 1000’s of Calgarians residing with disabilities — introduced it could be shutting its doorways.
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The upcoming closure of Vecova’s most important facility wouldn’t solely be a big blow to town’s incapacity neighborhood but in addition to town’s fame and model on the nationwide — and international — stage. With all this discuss shifting the predominant Calgary stereotype away from that of a white, male cowboy (able-bodied, may I add), this information begs the query of whether or not our new Blue Sky Metropolis philosophy really applies to all, or if it selectively chooses based mostly on politically or economically expedient standards.
Having labored within the incapacity sector for nearly a decade, I get it — form of. It’s straightforward to dismiss the incapacity neighborhood. In contrast to skilled sports activities groups or giant cultural establishments, this neighborhood doesn’t sometimes benefit from the type of allyship and advocacy from hyperconnected, highfalutin enterprise or political sorts.
With a lot of this neighborhood residing near or beneath the poverty line, it’s robust to attract a direct line between any public sector funding and its ensuing return. And, for essentially the most half, it’s a quiet neighborhood, desperately making an attempt all the pieces it could to carry onto what little it has, as a result of the worry of dropping even that small quantity is an excessive amount of to bear.
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However, as a society, we have now a accountability to the incapacity neighborhood, and never in any patronizing means. This accountability goes past AISH, revenue subsidies or employment assist packages. For true, significant inclusion to take impact, it additionally requires an acknowledgment that cultural and leisure amenities — particularly designed to fulfill the wants of neurodiverse or people with bodily disabilities — are a “should have,” not a “good to have.” They open the doorways for folks with disabilities to guide lively and fascinating lives, which, in flip, give them the boldness, the well being — the vitality — to contribute in their very own, distinctive methods.
And if we will additionally acknowledge that the incapacity neighborhood doesn’t essentially have the speedy marketability or political affect usually required to push tasks previous the ultimate hurdle, then I’d argue that the general public sector’s accountability is to deploy tax revenues to assist degree the taking part in subject, in order that tasks comparable to Vecova’s — or the Nationwide accessArts Centre’s — can have an equitable shot at creating this kind of vital infrastructure for the incapacity neighborhood in Calgary.
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Our metropolis won’t be judged solely on the profitable completion of our present megaprojects — the occasion centre, the Glenbow or Arts Commons — as invaluable as they might appear to be. True metropolis constructing goes past a dialog round how we “revitalize” our downtown.
Neighborhood infrastructure, embedded in all corners of this metropolis and catering to varied components of our various mosaic, is a vital a part of how we nurture and construct resiliency in our communities. Solely once we really create an setting the place all tasks — giant and small — and all communities will be impressed to succeed in their fullest potential, can we name ourselves a Blue Sky Metropolis.
For now, clouds hover over Vecova and so many different worthwhile tasks, whereas the solar shines brightly on the occasion centre.
Jung-Suk (JS) Ryu is president and CEO of the Nationwide accessArts Centre, Canada’s largest incapacity group at the moment elevating funds to construct a brand new arts facility for Calgarians with disabilities.
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