South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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BN05-26: Wheelchair Access Buses Come to City in New Year

Recent History – 1999

Nov. 3, 1999

By Mark Nielsen, Daily News Staff

Wheelchair accessible buses could be on the city streets as early as New Year”s Day, city council learned Monday. As part of a program to replace all buses over 17 years old, B.C. Transit will be replacing the two operating in Dawson Creek with a pair of Dennis low floor buses that can carry two wheelchairs. The buses could begin operating here by as early as Jan. 1, 2000, administrator Jim Noble said.

Dennis Mracek, chair of the Dawson Creek Access Society, welcomed the announcement. “It’s a great start,” he said. “The buses had to be replaced.”

The buses will come slightly more than three years after a workshop on improving life for handicapped people was held in Dawson Creek.

Out of that, improvements to transportation was deemed the number one issue, said Mracek.

Although the buses are an improvement, Mracek said they only stop at bus stops. The next step, he said, would be to bring the Handidart system to Dawson Creek which allows for door-to-door service via a wheelchair accessible van.

Meanwhile, the society is working on improving access to buildings around the city. Mracek noted that the new curling rink includes an elevator to the second floor. But city hall is without an elevator, and Mracek added that the sidewalk along 8th Street needs to be upgraded.

The society is also trying to improve employment opportunities and create affordable housing for handicapped people.

Along with a 20-year life cycle, the buses also present a savings on fuel, to the tune of 1.3 cents per kilometre. Under the current interest rates and leasing opportunities, each bus carried a $36,000 annual lease fee.

This article is taken from the Peace River Block Daily News, Dawson Creek, with the permission of the publisher. The Daily News retains all rights relating to this material. The information in this article is intended solely for research or general interest purposes.

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