Hello there! My name is Robin Stace. I’m a 33-year-old man living in Steveston, BC, and I have Cerebral Palsy and secondary Dystonia. This is about the logistics and real-life troubles my family and I have to endure for what could be a much simpler affair. With my disability, travelling solo anywhere more than a couple of hours away is a painful and stressful ordeal, not to mention impossible. First, the logistics of personal care items– do I have enough? Or too much? Should I bring my uncomfortable manual chair on the incredibly off chance my main chair breaks, or if there’s a step in an “accessible” building? Who’s driving? Where can we stop for a break if necessary? Do we have reservations for the ferry? Did I remember all of the essentials? These are just some fundamental questions we disabled people have to consider when we travel far from home; of course, I can only speak for myself.
Most years, my sister, father, and I go out to the Sunshine Coast for a break from city life for a while. It’s absolutely beautiful out there; you should check it out sometime. We often go to visit my uncle and aunt in Lund. They were kind enough to make accessible lodging so I could come to visit. We went last fall of 2023. To get to Lund, via Powell River, you must take a ferry or seaplane. Seaplanes are not a viable option for me, but it might be a different thing for you; I’m not sure. Back to it then. The ferry is a fantastic service when it works well, and a not-so-fantastic option other times. Even with a reservation, you don’t have a guaranteed spot every time. Though they’ve been getting better, in my experience, BC Ferries still drops the ball, and sometimes your reservation. One time, we had to wait for hours for not one, but two crossings before we could board a ferry. Anyway, my van is modified to be a low-rider with a side-mounted ramp, which changes the picture of where I can park if I want to get out of the van. Because it’s a low-rider, it’s difficult and dangerous if you’re not careful. Disembarking or even just going over uneven terrain has gotten my heart beating a mile a minute on more than one occasion, praying not to lose the bottom of the van. So when I’m taking a ferry, I have to consider making sure the ferry workers know about my need for space beside my vehicle if I want to get out. Which they happily accommodate.
Okay, let’s fast forward to after disembarking the ferry, or ferries, depending on the destination of the trip. To Powell River or Lund, it is two ferries. After disembarking, we usually find an “accessible” hotel for the night. The term “accessible” needs to be redefined and confirmed as such by people with all kinds of needs, not just a chair. Does the door open enough to let you in? Or do you have to rearrange things first to gain access to the room? Does the clearance of the bed have room for the legs of a lift? Can you access the bathroom and amenities? If you’ve never gone travelling, I recommend that you ask similar questions and bring your own gear since most places don’t seem to come with lifts of their own. In some places, hotel porters don’t even consider these things. Unfortunately, it’s legally acceptable to do the literal bare minimum, which is all kinds of bleeped up. Look up the technical definition of accessible one day, according to building guidelines; it’s painfully lacking. Last time I read up on it, it required two doors with minimalist measurements.
So now that you’ve reached your lodgings, if I’m honest, they never work ideally. It is surprisingly difficult to find a hotel that will work well enough. The best teacher for this scenario is trial and error, with a dash of frustration to keep things interesting. I like to go early, so if an issue arises, I can try to find other accommodation. Master chess players plan three or even four moves, maybe more. But I guarantee that when planning out a simple road trip, you’ll be out-planning even that out of necessity. But we make it work. Downtown Lund is a stunning little area near the water with a fantastic homemade ice cream place called Sassy Mack’s, a bakery, a gift shop, a couple of awesome restaurants, a little grocery store, and a liquor store. Basic things that most people, both locals and tourists, would appreciate. It’s a lovely place with great people, but accessibility-wise, things could be better. I’ve been a handful of times, and they still don’t have a ramp for some stores, requiring a fair bit of momentum to get over the lip. Not accessible in my books. Another recurring problem I’ve found is gravel-filled parking lots. I think it’s almost as bad as ice for any kind of chair when it comes to traction, and that’s in a power wheelchair! Pressed gravel can be okay, but loose? Forget about it; it’s crazy how much battery I kill because of freaking gravel!
Anyhow, those are the main issues that I come across when travelling from Steveston to Lund, BC. I don’t write this to discourage travel but to make it easier for those who lack the experiences needed to know what to ask for. I hope it wasn’t too rambling; I’m new to this kind of writing, and I’m better at telling a story. Please, for your sake, travel wherever and whenever you can and enrich your life with new places and cultures. Meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends is the bomb. Thanks for reading.
“Not all who wander are lost.” -JRR Tolkien
Robin Stace
Beautifully written. Here’s another issue that I’ve noticed. No ramp suitable for wheelchairs to get to the beach, and hopefully the water. So great that you’re opening people’s eyes as to the struggles that people using wheelchairs face every day.
Robin, that was a very well written and informative article. I will be sure to share it with others, and hopefully they will share it, too. Keep up the great work. I look forward to more articles. Love, Uncle C.