Island Lake Rowing Club receives Accessibility Grant
ORANGEVILLE - On July 28, Mr. David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon visited the Island Lake Rowing Club to tour their facilities.
July 29, 2021
ORANGEVILLE - On July 28, Mr. David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon visited the Island Lake Rowing Club to tour their facilities, especially the new adaptations made to the club’s dock to promote accessibility, funded by a grant of $28,402 through the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).The EAF was established in 2007, and extended in 2010 to support community-based projects across Canada that improve accessibility and enable Canadians with disabilities, regardless of physical ability, to participate in and contribute to their communities.
“The improvements to the dock at Island Lake will allow the rowing club to continue and expand its wonderful Adaptive Program”, said Mr. Tilson. The Island Lake Rowing Club’s Adaptive Program has, for the past seven years, offered students from Orangeville District Secondary School with varying levels of physical disability to learn the necessary skills for rowing, under the mentorship of experienced rowers.
Members of the Island Lake Rowing club are excited by the changes made to the dock as a result of the EAF grant. “It has allowed Island Lake Rowing Club to double our dock capacity. We will be able to offer more programs to more people, especially those in wheelchairs,” said Island Lake board member Gerry Daly on the improvements.
According to Island Lake board member Shane Curry, the new dock is already being put to good use, reporting that, “Last week during a special adaptive training session we practiced transferring a seasoned wheelchair athlete who was very pleased with the quality of the dock”.
“Concrete measures like the Enabling Accessibility Fund and partnerships like the one with the Island Lake Rowing Club are helping the Government of Canada to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities”, said Tilson. He added, “By eliminating barriers, we’re helping bring communities together”.