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Town consultant affirms Rotary Park is accessible

July 17, 2025   ·   1 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS            

Despite concerns from the town’s advisory committee, Orangeville’s redeveloped Rotary Park will be fully accessible.

And such assurances were given by a consultant hired by the town to helm the park’s redesign when council met on July 14.

Accessibility Orangeville committee members believe otherwise. Further, they charge that the committee wasn’t approached for feedback on the plans.

According to provincial legislation, when constructing new or redeveloping existing outdoor play spaces, obligated organizations other than small organizations shall consult on the needs of children and caregivers with various disabilities.

Municipalities must consult with their municipal accessibility advisory committees, where one has been established.

Janet Elliott, the consultant hired by the town who has built playgrounds for about 35 years, said “some” of the information provided by the accessibility advisory group was indeed considered.

And, she said, the design submitted to the town is 100 per cent fully accessible.

After two weeks of voting by residents, with nearly 1,000 votes cast, the winning design for the new Rotary Park playground was chosen.

Those residents who voted selected the third option out of the three proposed. The park equipment will soon be ordered and site preparations will begin for installation. It’s hoped the playground will be done later this year.

“We dealt with a lot of accessibility committee and we’ve talked to a lot of parents and caregivers, and we have gotten products that we know are tried and tested in the industry,” Elliott said.

Elliot said she is the mother of a child with special needs and her own concerns were reflected in the park’s design and equipment chosen.

“I am all about inclusion and all about universal play,” she said.

Elliott said any feedback that needs to be addressed during the remainder of the work will be incorporated when possible.

“We’re willing to see that happen,” she said.

Charles Cosgrove, the town’s parks and facilities manager, echoed that.

“If they (advisory committee) wants some changes, we can make some changes,” he said, and added that a wheelchair swing could be added to the playground’s design.

“We can discuss all the items that would have to be removed plus some additional ones that they may wish to see,” Cosgrove said.

Mayor Lisa Post thanked committee members for attending the council meeting and for vocalizing their concerns.

“I wanted to reiterate the fact that this did come to the accessibility committee at the right time because the concept that you got was simply that,” she said. “It was a concept.”

She said the intent was that the design be chosen before each playground component was to be evaluated to pass accessibility muster.

“It was not a final design that came to you,” she said. “It was a concept.”

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