Programs for the disabled

Photo: Contributed - City of Vernon

The City of Vernon is expanding discount programs for children and youth with disabilities.

Over the past year, Recreation Services staff have been working with Bren Currie, the team leader for Children and Youth with Special Needs, and Annette Sharkey from the Social Planning Council. Their goal was to develop a discount plan for children and youth who are under the age of 19 with disabilities and who are eligible for special needs services.

“This recreation discount pass is changing lives and we are very thankful to have this program in our community,” said Sharkey.

The programs included in this discount include regular or drop-in passes for public swim times and weight room use, and drop-in and punch passes for Aquafit classes including morning AquaAdvance, Aqualight, and Deep Water classes, and all AquaTherapy classes.

Doug Ross, the director of Recreation Services, said this move expands existing accessibility programs. In the spring of 2007, Recreation Services introduced a 75-per-cent Affordable Access Pass for low-income adults who were receiving regular income assistance benefits, guaranteed income supplements for seniors, or Canada Pension Plan for disabilities, as well as for people with disabilities or persistent multiple barriers.

“Recreation Services is glad that we have been able to expand our Affordable Access Pass program to include these youth and hope that they will be able to participate more often,” said Ross.

For more information in the discount programs, eligibility criteria or other programs and services offered by Greater Vernon Recreation Services, please visit www.greatervernonrecreation.ca or see the new Fall Leisure Guide, available August 8.