• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cerebral Palsy Association of BC

Life Without Limits

  • Donate
  • Support Hotline: 604-408-9484 / 1-800-663-0004
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Main navigation

  • About Us
    • About Cerebral Palsy
    • Mission & Vision
    • History of CPABC
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Contact
  • Programs & Services

    Workshops

    • Legal Resources

    Recreation

    • Photo & Video Release
    • Programs Calendar
    • Adapted Yoga
    • Dance Without Limits
    • Movement Therapy

    Support & Referrals

    • Family & Individual Support
    • CP Connections

    Financial Resources

    • Camperships
    • Equipment Subsidy
    • Janna Epp Bursary
    • Education Bursaries

    Resources

    • Cerebral Palsy Awareness Project on Vancouver Island
    • Vancouver Island Resource Guides
    • Resource Links
      • Resource Links: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Publications
      • Lending Library
    • Disability Awareness Presentations
  • Events
    • Annual General Meeting
    • World CP Day | BC 4 CP
    • Get Fit for CP Challenge
  • News & Media
    • Subscribe to our eNewsletter
    • News Blog
    • Youth Blog
    • In the Media
    • Communications Etiquette
  • Our Impact
    • Impact Stories
    • Videos
    • Annual Reports
  • Membership
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Reasons to Donate
    • Other Ways to Give
    • Host a fundraising event
    • Corporate Giving
    • Donors & Supporters
  • First Diagnosis

Adapted Recreation, Blog, Health, News Blog · September 13, 2016

Stepping up with accessible recreational facilities

STEPtember is in full swing and the need to get active is on the minds of many. Unfortunately, being fit can be challenging for a person with a disability because of inaccessible fitness facilities.

Accessible - Feature

Challenges and supports

Many gyms lack accessible equipment and people with disabilities are often discouraged from using these spaces due to needing assistance. Not every disabled person is able to have a support staff accompany them to the gym and/or pool. However, most recreation centres (including both pools and gyms) will allow a person to accompany you for free if you do require assistance. In addition to gyms, there are many other supports, services, and recreation facilities that are wheelchair-friendly and available to people with disabilities living in Metro Vancouver. There are also people in various districts who can assist you in making facilities and even curb cuts or bus stops more accessible (for those of you choosing to take steps this September).

Accessible facilities

The YMCAs in Vancouver and Surrey have pools with lifts, wheelchair-accessible change rooms and recreation programs that are suitable for people with various mobility challenges. There are also other pools, recreation programs, and facilities that are suited for people with mobility challenges and disabilities. Please see below:

Langara YMCA*

Address: 282 W 49th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z5

Phone: (604) 324-9622

Features:

Life Fitness weight pully system

Technogym Upper Body Cycling Machine

Water works aquatic program

Gentle Aquafit program

Tong- Louie YMCA*

Address: 14988 57 Ave, Surrey, BC V3S 8W7

Phone: (604) 575-9622

Features:

Wheelchair accessible pool and weight room

Gentle Joints Aquatic program.

*The YMCA offers a subsidized rate for people with disabilities. You will need to bring in a tax form, photo I.D, and a method of payment (void cheque, pre-authorized payment form or credit card)

Fit 4 Less (North Vancouver) (Also have downtown Location)

Address: 935 Marine Drive Unit 68 North Vancouver, BC V7P 1S3

Phone: (604) 984-2518

Features:

Easy to use Equipment

Spacious,

Fully wheel chair accessible washroom and shower

Affordable- $20.00/month

Wheel chair accessible pools:

Hillcrest Aquatic Centre

Address: 4575 Clancy Loranger Way, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2M4

Features:

(Zero entry pool)

Phone: (604) 257-8680

*City or Vancouver offers a leisure access pass for low income people which allows for 50% off of admission passes to all city recreation centres. For more information or to apply please click here.

Stan Stronge Pool 

Address: 700 W 57th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6P 1S1

Phone: (604) 321-3231

Features:

Accessible change room facilities

Pool ramp

Pool chairs

*$ 2.00/ drop in swim.

 

Here is what some of our members had to say in regards to how they keep active:

We go to Art night at Royal Oak and Rumble Street Burnaby. It is wonderful.  We go to Bonsor Recreation Centre. They have an elevator which is good. Having sign language skilled staff would be helpful.-CPABC Member

 

I go to an adapted yoga class at Kits Community Center every Tuesday afternoon. The classes will start again on September 20th. I have been going there ever since the class was offered, about 4 years ago. The room in which it is held is large so it can accommodate people with mobility aids – CPABC Member

 

Everyone is entitled to accessing fitness and recreation areas. As a person with a disability, you can request changes to facilities and areas in the city. You can request automatic door buttons, curb cuts in sidewalks, and perhaps even pool lifts and ramps into pools. See below for a list of contacts and the appropriate locations:

Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation: Dawn Livesley:  Dawn.Livesley@vancouver.ca

Corporation of the District of West Vancouver: rnelson@westvancouver.ca

City of New Westminster: Parks, Culture & Recreation partners with Fraserside Community Services (519 Seventh Street, 2nd Floor, 604.522.3722 extension 120) in the delivery of our Subsidy Program that provides low income New Westminster residents with program discounts.)

Bowen Island Municipality: Shelley Shannon: SShannon@bimbc.ca

City of Coquitlam: getconnected-getactive@coquitlam.ca or Geri Briggs-Simpson GBriggs-Simpson@coquitlam.ca

City of Port Coquitlam Parks & Recreation: parksrec@portcoquitlam.ca or SullivanR@portcoquitlam.ca

City of Richmond Diversity Services: diversityservices@richmond.ca or Leslie White  Leslie.White@burnaby.ca

Corporation of Delta: Liz Gibson:  parks-rec@delta.ca

North Vancouver Recreation and Culture: Vida Sandoughdar: SandoughdarV@NorthVanRec.com  Janet Wallace: wallacej@northvanrec.com

Port Moody, Tri-Cities: Diane Grayson DGrayson@portmoody.ca

The City of Surrey Parks and Recreation: Jerome Thibaudeau: JThibaudeau@surrey.ca for disability programs: Ross MacDonald: RMacDonald@surrey.ca

The City of Victoria: L.I.F.E. (leisure involvement for Everyone) Sandy Clarke

The Corporation of Delta: Kate Steele KSTEEL@DELTA.CA
Many communities have similar programs and options for creating more accessibility. Check with your municipality or civic government. For a full listing of accessible recreation activities, services, supports, and recreation in the Lower Mainland, click here.

Happy STEPtember! Good luck!

 

References
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (2015). Retrieved from mssociety.ca/bc: https://mssociety.ca/uploads/files/lmc-recreation-and-leisure-guide-2015.pdf

 

Related Posts

  • Jason and Rand, running for fairness and inclusionMaking a run for fairness and inclusion: Guinness World Record breaking wheelchair tandem team takes on Victoria Half Marathon
  • Peter Brown, CPABC Movement Ambassador“I love it!” – Peter is a CPABC Movement Ambassador
  • Making an adapted fashion statementMaking an adapted fashion statement – Youth Without Limits
  • Dear members: “Straw ban” stigma and response

Filed Under: Adapted Recreation, Blog, Health, News Blog Tagged With: health and wellness, steptember, youth without limits

Previous Post: « Local paralympian swims her way to competing in Rio
Next Post: Dancing for a great cause: Danika Milne is our September volunteer of the month »

Primary Sidebar

CPABC Brochure
Download our CPABC Brochure 2015

Categories

  • Adapted Recreation (3)
  • Aging (2)
  • Blog (33)
  • Child Care and Development (6)
  • Events (10)
  • Financial Supports (2)
  • Health (5)
  • Home Features (6)
  • Impact Stories (27)
  • In the Media (30)
  • News Blog (277)
  • Seniors (2)
  • Trust & Estate Planning (2)
  • Youth Blog (34)
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

About CPABC

Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia is a non-profit organization. Our vision is to create a Life Without Limits for people with disabilities.

Cerebral Palsy Association of BC An affiliate of United Cerebral Palsy

Support Us

Find a Clothing Bin Near You
Become a Member
Volunteer
Donate

Charitable Registration
BN 10690 4204 RR0001

Contact Us

Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia

Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia
330 – 409 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada  V6C 1T2

Telephone: 604.408.9484
Toll-free: 1.800.663.0004
info@bccerebralpalsy.com

Join Our Mailing List →

© 2023 Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia, an affiliate of United Cerebral Palsy · Website by TM · Site Map