Mike Prescott is a recent MA, Planning graduate (Waterloo) as well as not-so-recent SFU MBA grad (’98). His planning thesis introduced the idea of a networked model of the community (he calls it social topography) to better understand accessibility and inclusion.
In particular, he focused on active transportation metrics that embody the needs and preferences of seniors and people with disabilities. I asked him to tell us more, especially as it relates to him and Vancouver:
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In Vancouver, we pride ourselves on being an accessible city. As a long-time resident and very active member of the disabled community, I’ve always wondered how we could back this up with hard facts. What does it mean to be accessible? How do you measure accessibility? Does this matter?
For me, it’s a personal and professional challenge. When I was a 17-year-old, I woke up one day paralyzed due to a tumour pressing against my spine. After much therapy, social support and just plain luck, I was able to walk independently again.
Fast forward 25 years later. Having gone back to using a wheelchair as my active transportation mode, I decided to explore these questions more thoroughly. I packed my bags up and headed to Waterloo, where this story began, to complete an MA in Planning. Little did I expect that each trip to school would reinforce the need for my research and help me establish an alternative model for visualizing the city – social topography.
Some of my misadventures included:
- Wiping out on train tracks in the middle of a major intersection (see below)
- Narrow misses with bicycles because of unenforced by-laws
- Trips that doubled in distance because poor signage didn’t alert me that the sidewalk was under repair
- Snow removal policies that forced me to leave my wheelchair at home and walk on icy sidewalks and unplowed bus stops
Erb and Caroline in Waterloo, Ontario – a lesson in dangerous design.
When it comes down to it, Waterloo is not unique. In fact, 27 years of personal, academic and professional experience has convinced me that cities and academics treat accessibility in an overly simplistic way.
Accessibility isn’t just ramps, elevators and parking spots. We need a more robust model that empowers urban stakeholders to help reverse the gap in social, economic, and health equity that is growing. Some of the lessons learned from my research are:
- Accessible places without inclusive programs and services are meaningless
- Walkability is a network of physical and socio-economic experiences (live, work, play, learn, socialize, visit), not the simple measures of density and diversity espoused today by the likes of WalkScore and others
- Accessibility is about absolute barriers, cumulative burdens and information availability
- Cities need to use accessible and inclusive design, policies and practices strategically to better serve all their citizens.
Mike’s full thesis can be found on the University of Waterloo website – here. For more information, contact Mike Prescott at mandala.mike@gmail.com.
