My wife is currently a patient at the Palliative care facility in Charlottetown. With the exceptional good weather over the last month I have been taking my wife out for walks in her wheelchair. I am amazed that a cross walk across Murchinson Lane at the entrance into this facility doesn’t exist. But they are crosswalks present across all access to the QEH.
I would like to mention that their exists a beautiful walkway along the River in front of the Hillsborough and QEH hospital which is enjoyed by the patients and staff of both facilities as well as the general public. However assessing this sidewalk from the Palliative care facility one must push a wheelchair across a busy road then push the chair through the gravel shoulder of the road for over 100 yards. (Many times abruptly stopped by rocks, and quite charring for the patient). However there exists a ramp way constructed to allow access to this sidewalk but currently is a mud and grass surface and one cannot push a chair through this . It just needs a smoother surface. This ramp way is only 40 yds from the facility entrance.
I know that not all patients are well enough to get outside but at any given time there are few patients tat can. These people need to have the chance to enjoy the beautiful view and the chance to walk with family and friends and not have to push their chairs on the highway or through gravel shoulders.
I would like to request the government of PEI act on this request to make a sidewalk and ramp way to the walkways accessible for all patients, staff, family of individuals at the Palliative Care Facility. This facility provides an opportunity for quality of life care for all its patients and accessibility should not be an obstacle for sharing moments of enjoyment and pleasure while they deal with life ending illnesses.
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