By bevdunlay, on April 8th, 2011  
By Sue Dickens
EMC Lifestyles – Campbellford – Accessibility at the Trent Hills municipal swimming pool is going to be completed this summer as a result of recommendations by the Accessibility Advisory Committee.
Chaired by Camille Edwards for the past four years, the committee is again moving forward under her guidance for another term that followed the municipal election.
Previous members have joined some new ones and the committee is again focused on the group’s mandate which is to increase public awareness of the Accessibility Plan and to advise council on the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to access.
“The swimming pool already has a portable lift and the staff is trained to use it. The lift has been there for a few years now,” said Edwards who is very excited about the upgrades planned for the pool this summer.
“There have been a lot of improvements inside the washrooms but what we need now is what we are getting, a ramp,” she said.
According to the municipality’s Community Services Officer Scott Rose, “The pool upgrades involve constructing a ramp access into the front door. The ramp will cost approximately $21,000 and the new power operated door will cost approximately $8,000.”
The committee is also hoping there will be designated parking for people with Accessible Parking Permits (APP), either on Ranney Street, where the pool is located, or on the pool property by the front entrance, said Edwards.
“We have to make sure emergency vehicles still have access,” she explained. At the moment there is no designated accessible parking on the property or nearby.
Rose did say that, “any accessible parking reviews will probably only be able to be completed on Ranney Street for this year. We are always looking to make accessible improvements when we have the approved budget money.”
“Once we do all that the pool should be totally accessible,” added Edwards.
“There’s a lot of work to do, there’s so much that is coming down from the government,” she said.
It’s all part of meeting the mandates outlined in the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, which is part of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 (AODA). Continue reading Swimming pool upgrade is about breaking down barriers
By bevdunlay, on March 17th, 2011 
By Sue Dickens
EMC Lifestyles – Campbellford – The ability of the physically disabled to get from their home to a grocery store, or to a bank to pay bills, to see their doctor or to just go to a movie or enjoy a nearby park without a struggle is among the priorities of the More Able Than Disabled Club.
To help with this goal the club’s facilitator, Doreen Sharpe, invited the Trent Hills Director of Public Works, Richard Bolduc, to attend their March meeting.
The topic for discussion was the condition of town sidewalks and more specifically in winter, the problems created by snow.
“When the snow gets piled up and you are getting out of your car, you have to go all the way down to the end of the street, to get onto the sidewalk, which is really difficult for people in a wheelchair to do,” said Sharpe.
Franklin Carwardine, who is physically disabled and uses a wheelchair, agreed.
A strong voice in the community as an advocate for the disabled, he said, “Trying to get onto and along the sidewalks with the snow is difficult.”
Responding to their concerns, Bolduc talked about the municipality’s role when it comes to snow removal and said, “We do the sidewalks so if there is an issue phone our office. We usually go out and follow up right away with clearing it.”
Continue reading Snow and Sidewalks a Challenge for People with Physical Disabilities
By bevdunlay, on February 7th, 2011  The Independent
Three hours per week makes world of difference
CAMPBELLFORD — As jobs go, it’s quite modest – three hours or so once a week – but it’s made a huge difference in Jim Vogel’s life.
He’s a 58-year-old Stirling-area resident who happens to have an intellectual disability. Seventeen years ago he was hired by Bulk Plus in Campbellford to clean up around the store every Wednesday.
“He looks forward to it,” said Charlene Foster, Mr. Vogel’s outcome support facilitator with Community Living Campbellford/Brighton. “Jim has definitely benefited from employment … he’s become a lot more independent.”
“He’s a very steady worker,” said store co-owner Gary Rowan. “He does an excellent job.”
Margaret Ann Rowan said hiring Mr. Vogel was a good fit because he’s very conscientious about his work.
“He had supervision at first but he doesn’t need supervision now,” said Ms. Rowan.
When Mr. Vogel started at the job, if anybody approached him he would be all flustered and he didn’t know what to do, she said. But with the help of Community Living staff, he overcame his shyness with customers.
Continue reading Campbellford job a plus for employee with an intellectual disability
By bevdunlay, on January 27th, 2011 Article by John Campbell
The Independent, January 27, 2011
Ontario Disability Network Executive Director extols virtues of Workers with Disabilities
TRENT HILLS – The country’s growing shortage of workers would be less of a problem if more employers hired members of “Canada’s largest minority” – people with disabilities, says the executive director of the Ontario Disability Network (ODN)
The disable make up 16 per cent of the country’s population, but the unfortunate reality and tragedy is that 70 percent of those people are unemployed, ODN Executive Director Joe Dale told a small gathering of business people at the Campbellford Community Resource Centre on Jan. 18.
They (disabled) represent a huge untapped pool of labour that could help solve what both the Conference Board of Canada and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have said will be the country’s number one economic problem this decade – an estimated one billion people shortfall in workforce participation, Mr. Dale said. Continue reading People with Disabilities represent “huge untapped pool of labour”
By bevdunlay, on January 27th, 2011 Posted Jan 27, 2011 By Bill Freeman
EMC Lifestyles – Hastings Bringing people together and helping young adults with intellectual disabilities connect with an “Amigo” is a goal Lori Zapletal has embraced with enthusiasm.
Zapletal, the community co-ordinator for the new Campbellford Amigos in the Community pilot project, has already matched two “connectors” and “participants” and is looking for local residents who would like to pair up with one of the eight young adults she has waiting for Amigos.
“The sole premise of this is inclusion, everybody being equal members of the community,” Zapletal told the Northwest EMC.
Zapletal oversees school-based Amigos programs at East Northumberland Secondary School in Brighton, where there are 25 Amigo pairs, and Campbellford District High School which has five.
The new local Amigos in the Community program is funded by the Campbellford-Seymour Community Foundation and Zapletal has been working busily on getting the word out.
“I’ve talked to every group possible,” she said. “My goal would be to match them all but I will do one at a time and see each of them as a success.” Continue reading Finding the right Amigos Connection
By bevdunlay, on December 22nd, 2010 Northumberland News – The Independent
Dec 20, 2010
John Campbell
CAMPBELLFORD – It’s a good thing Santa outsources some of his work.
Otherwise, his elves would collapse from exhaustion trying to keep millions of children happy.
In this part of the world, Santa can thank the Campbellford-Seymour Firefighters Association and Community Living Campbellford/Brighton for providing a much-needed helping hand.
The two organizations decided to combine forces this Christmas and conduct one toy and food drive together rather than proceed on their own, as in years past. The partnership paid off handsomely, with the result on display Monday night in the fire hall, where six tables were laden with toys, games, dolls, action figures, books and many other wonderful gifts, with more of the same on the floor.
“It’s set up like a little department store,” Fire Chief Tim Blake said. And there shopping for presents were teachers from the three elementary schools in Campbellford – Hillcrest, Kent and St. Mary’s – on behalf of low-income families who couldn’t afford such gifts for their children.
With lists in hand of what the students hoped to get this Christmas, the teachers filled boxes with presents that will be distributed next week. Continue reading Firefighters and Community Living join forces for the kids
By charlton, on July 22nd, 2005 BY: Community Living
DATE: Summer of 2005
 Jason used the Anne Stafford Bursary money to enroll in a Young Drivers of Canada course. Jason started the course and then moved and was unable to attend the courses. In the summer of 2005, Jason went back to finish the course. Jason was successful in the classroom portion of the course and also achieved a high score in his driven portion. In September, Jason passed his Ontario Driver’s Examination and is now at a G2 status in the graduated licensing. He is able to drive on his own and has one one exam to obtain his completed license next year. The next step, Jason says is to, “buy a car.”
By charlton, on September 24th, 2004 BY: Irene Newington, The Community Press
DATE: September 22, 2004
There are currently over 1,000 people still living in institutions across Ontario but that is soon to change as Minister Sandra Pupatello’s commitment is to phase out the three remaining developmental service institutions by 2009.
Community Living Campbellford/Brighton Executive Chris Grayson calls the September 9 announcement “great news” for the more than 1,000 people who currently reside at the Southwestern in Bleinham, Huronia in Orillia and Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls. “People will now be able to choose where they live, and they’ll have the opportunity to experience life in the community.”
On September 13 Jason Rae president and self advocate for Community Living Brighton welcomed the announcement and thanked the minister for listening to Community Living agencies and closing institutions.
Since the beginning of 1987, 13 of Ontario’s 16 institutions have closed and have given 6,000 people opportunity to live within their communities. Grayson estimates that a possible 30 or more may choose to return to the four-county area when the institutions close.
Continue reading Institutions to Close Down
By charlton, on September 10th, 2004 Community Living Ontario Delighted by announcement
DATE: September 10, 2004
The provincial government announced yesterday a commitment to close Ontario’s three remaining institutions for people who have an intellectual disability by March 31, 2009.
Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello says $110 million will be invested into closing institutions, increasing community supports and creating new places for people to live.
Community Living Ontario applauds the government’s announcement.
“We are delighted that the era of housing people in segregated institutions is coming to an end in Ontario,” says Keith Powell, executive director of Community Living Ontario, in a news release.
Continue reading Government Commits to Closing Institutions by 2009
By charlton, on September 9th, 2004 DATE: September 9, 2004
The 10,000 individuals and families who are members of Community Living Ontario are thrilled that the more than 1,000 people who currently reside in Ontario’s three developmental services institutions will soon have the opportunity to live as citizens in the community.
“We are delighted that the era of housing people in segregated institutions is coming to an end in Ontario,” says Keith Powell, executive director of Community Living Ontario, responding to today’s announcement by Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello that Southwestern, Huronia, and Rideau Regional Centres will close by 2009. “We are proud that Ontario now joins a growing number of jurisdictions in Canada in making this positive step.”
Continue reading Commitment to Close Institutions Lauded
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