Vanderhoof will be more disability-friendly in the near future after three applications for accessibility upgrades to buildings in town have been approved by federal government.
The applications were made last year under an enabling and accessibility program in Ottawa.
Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris stopped by to make the announcement during a public meeting at the council chambers last Wednesday.
Harris said he got the ball rolling for the release of funding after he received a call from Vanderhoof Economic Development Officer Kathy Leforge.
“The applications were made last fall ... and somehow got stalled ... so I went to the ministers office and said listen we’d like to make sure this doesn’t get lost in the shuffle and low and behold within a few hours we had the news,” said Harris.
He added that just over $30,000 will be coming to Vanderhoof to help fund the upgrades on three different buildings in town. The accessibility upgrades will be at the arena, the court house and the municipal office.
“These are all to increase accessibility - it could be a ramp or... anything to increase access to the building for people with handicaps and it’s really a great thing to be able to do,” he said.
Harris also held a meet and greet session for residents at the Vanderhoof Chamber of Commerce before the meeting.