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Grade 5 students helped a council committee discover where Peachland comes up short on accessibility.

Council last week approved an accessibility action plan, drafted by a committee consisting of two municipal staff members, two councillors and three Peachland citizens. Creating the plan was an order from the provincial government, Coun. Terry Condon said.

Condon said the Grade 5s became role players in checking out just how accessible Peachland is.

The class went out in wheelchairs, walkers and canes “and other implements that might be used by somebody with a physical disability,” Condon explained. “They also drew cards from a box that identified non-visible disabilities, so some were on this exercise with the lens of somebody with Alzheimer’s, or somebody with a brain injury or somebody that was deaf or blind, or some other non-visible injury, and we took a walk through town.

“I was very impressed with the maturity level of the children that did this exercise. They showed a great deal of interest in what was going on and a great deal of empathy and compassion for those that were facing the barriers,” Condon said.

“We got a much better picture of the state of the union, so to speak, with the assistance of these kids.”

A survey and open house were also conducted to get resident feedback.

The feedback revealed, among other things, that public transportation is hard for some to access. Uneven pavement and sidewalks, and lack of ramps also make movement difficult.

“Our public buildings, they need some attention, but generally they’re in better shape than we thought they were going to be,” said Condon, “but many of the private businesses in town perhaps are not award of the barriers they actually present.”

Condon also said more information is needed.

“We do not have a very good idea of the number of people in Peachland who are facing these kinds of challenges,” he said.

Council approved the plan.