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Oshawa Mom Says Its Time to Replace Accessibility Symbol with a more Active Image

News Oct 18, 2017
by Reka Szekely
Oshawa This Week

An Oshawa mom is hoping the city will adopt a new more active accessibility symbol. Amanda Ridding said she first heard about the new symbol two or three years ago. Riddings son Nicklas is a Grandview kid who uses a wheelchair at times.

Championed by , the idea is to change the well known International Symbol of Access, which depicts a person sitting in a wheelchair, to a more dynamic symbol of a person leaning forward and moving their arm to propel the wheelchair.

The organization has asked that the new symbol be adopted for new construction or when renovations occur.

Oshawa mom Amanda Ridding said she first heard about the new symbol two or three years ago but it wasnt yet common in Ontario.

We saw it at the ROM a couple of years ago and then we saw it most recently at Grandview, she said referring to Grandview Childrens Centre in Oshawa. My son really noticed it this time, hes 7, and he noticed because it looked like the person is moving.

Riddings son Nicklas is a Grandview kid who uses a wheelchair at times.

She spoke with the Forward Movement and the organization contacted the City of Oshawa about adopting the symbol.

The new symbol is very action oriented the symbol shows someone sitting in a chair but theyre moving and doing things, Ridding explains.

In addition to the city, Ridding is hoping local school boards adopt the new symbol as well.

Oshawas development services committee referred the issue to staff for a report that will include input from Oshawas accessibility advisory committee.

Original at https://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/7658580-oshawa-mom-says-its-time-to-replace-accessibility-symbol-with-a-more-active-image/