KENORA — With a little help from the Ontario government, Norman Park will soon have a fully accessible nature path.
A $60,000 Inclusive Community Grant is funding an accessible pathway connecting the sidewalk, parking lot, accessible washrooms and a fully accessible and inclusive playground at the park south of Lakeview Drive.
Kenora Mayor Andrew Poirier said Wednesday the pathway in the lakeside park is nearly completed with a little more work to be done in the spring.
“Accessibility and inclusion are always a priority,” he said, adding he and city council colleagues met with Senior and Accessibility Minister Raymond Cho while at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto last month and thanked him for the grant.
The grant adds to “other investments (the province has) made in Norman Park to ensure a safe and accessible space on the shores of beautiful Lake of the Woods,” said Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora–Rainy River, in a news release.
“We are proud to partner with municipalities on projects that contribute to a stronger, more inclusive Ontario.”
Cho said the project “helps people with disabilities and seniors take part in community life by removing barriers.”
The renovations make Norman Park the city’s first fully accessible park with lake and beach access.
“Norman Park is a bustling place in the summer, and the new nature pathway will ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy this wonderful lakeside park and all its amenities,” Poirier said.
“We are excited to see the positive impact this project will have on our community.”
