Kootenay Carshare showcases Wheelchair Lift Van at Lakeside Park
By Contributor
Kootenay Carshare is excited to announce the launch for its new Wheelchair Lift Van during the Canada Day Ceremony hosted by the Nelson Chamber Commerce Saturday between 10 a.m and 3 p.m. at Lakeside Park.
The Carshare marketing student and volunteers are hosting a booth in the park to showcase the new lift feature on the new van.
The wheelchair van has had a long history, which started in 2013 with Randi Jensen. Wanting to take her mother out to a family event, who uses a wheelchair, she found there were no options for private access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Soon after, the “Get a Lift” project was created by Jensen and several community partners, including the Carshare.
The “Get a Lift” project was a partnership between Kootenay Carshare, Nelson Cares, Nelson & District Seniors Coordinating Society, Jensen and Mimi Pollard to address the need of private access to a wheelchair accessible van in the community. They identified the need of such a vehicle due to the fact that seniors and people with mobility issues were having difficulties completing everyday tasks. Going to the doctor or going to the grocery store were challenging because there was no convenient transportation accessible to them. As well, services that are available for those with disabilities like handyDART are not available on weekends. These examples alongside Randi’s story and research solidified the need of a wheelchair van in our community.
The Kootenay Carshare is excited to introduce a vehicle into our fleet that provides accessibility to transportation for everyone. It is truly a community oriented vehicle and we are proud to be able to provide it for the community.
“This project makes available an option for wheelchair bound people to have access to opportunities they would otherwise not have. I feel grateful and proud that my community of Nelson kicked in to see this project to completion,” said Jensen.
Kootenay Carshare has 12 vehicles in the Nelson fleet, including the wheelchair van and over 24 vehicles in all our KCC branches. The permanent location of the wheelchair van is located at Railtown parking lot right next to the Nelson Visitor’s Center.
Visit www.carsharecoop.ca for more information on our wheelchair van or the Kootenay Carshare and all its branches in Nelson, Kaslo, Revelstoke, Kimberley and Rossland.
Photo Caption: The new Kootenay Carshare Van, complete with Wheelchair Lift, will be on display during the Canada Celebrations Saturday at Lakeside Park. — Submitted photo
