Accessibility Man: Kincardine Reunion - an accessible point of view
A huge thank you to all the members of the Kincardine Reunion committee for all of their planning and effort to put together the 2018 Reunion. I had a wonderful time!
Now, I’m going to throw on my accessibility hat and offer some thoughts on how we can make the 2028 Kincardine Reunion even more universally-accessible for everyone.
It would be awesome to bring in a wheelchair-accessible bus. The bus transportation, made available for so many people, was a great idea but I couldn’t use it. It was tough to find parking downtown; parking lots were full and there were people everywhere. I would have been really happy to get a bus pass for the weekend and head into town that way. Just some food for thought.
The Saturday Night Beach Dance was amazing! Easy to get into and move around. Really well-lit so all the uneven surfaces were easy to see and get around. The food trucks were nice and open in an area that was clear and, if I had remembered to eat, I would have had no problems getting to them.
The best part was I could get right up to the stage to see the band and listen to the music! The only thing that would make it easier for me would be a space at the side of the bar where I could roll up to get a drink. I was lucky enough to have some lovely people buying drinks for me, but when I had to go in myself, I had to wait until the lines completely died down in order to get up to the front where all the drinks were.
Josh Easton enjoying the Kincardine Reunion
I also went to the Chicken and Rib Dinner at Victoria Park. The dinner was great; I was able to get in and get to a table with no problems at all. I couldn’t go and get my own food, but I had some great family members with me who made sure I was well-fed.
Victoria Park is really tough to navigate for anyone with accessibility issues. The ground is uneven, easy to get stuck in, and extremely bumpy! Like I said after the Kincardine Scottish Festival, it would be great to have a wide path made through the park, with a smooth surface, to make it easier to get through for anyone with wheels.
Lastly, I wanted to mention – I went on the zip line! It was great fun and totally worth the wait. It took a lot of planning and two people helping me to make it happen, but we did it!
The company operating the zip line, One Axe Pursuits, is totally accessible at its home base in Elora and can even hook wheelchairs that weigh up to 300 pounds, to zip line across the gorge! But I guess they can’t take all their equipment on the road.
Josh Easton (left), Accessibility Man, with his aunt, Barb Smith, at the zip line during the Kincardine Reunion; photos courtesy of Josh Easton
The hardest part for me was leaving my walker on one side of the river. Once I got to the other side, I had to figure out how to get to my mom’s car. People and volunteers were really friendly and gave me a shoulder to lean on.
It would be really nice to see a rented (or borrowed) wheelchair zone at the bottom with lots of room for a car to drive right up, so anyone with mobility issues can get right to the vehicle.
Overall, the Kincardine Reunion was a really fast-paced, fun-filled weekend with lots of surprises! You would think that someone with fatigue issues like me would have a hard time getting through a weekend like this, but I always find a way to get overcome my obstacles.
At the end of the day, my experiences maneuvering and problem-solving around this huge event were both educational and fun. I can’t wait for 2028 to do it all again!
Josh Easton (centre) and friends at the Kincardine Reunion
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