Stratford Festival has won the city’s 2024 accessibility award.
Roger Koert, chair of the Stratford Accessibility Advisory Committee, presented the award to Meineka Kulasinghe, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion manager for the festival, at a city council meeting.
The committee each year recognizes individuals, businesses and organizations in Stratford who demonstrate a commitment to accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Koert expressed that “if all the world’s a stage, the festival is creating the reality that in fact that stage is accessible.”
They are the first two-time recipient of the award, having previously won in 2012.
The Stratford Festival offers accessible performances, including open captioned, audio described, American Sign Language interpreted and relaxed performances.
Prior to the award presentation, Koert took to the podium at city hall to reflect on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005, as its 20-year target date for an accessible province is fast approaching.
A purpose of the act is to develop, implement and enforce accessibility standards on or before Jan. 1, 2025.
He mentioned that the lack of access at the police station is an example of delayed compliance, explaining that it “feels like we are cramming before the exam.”
He then said that “it should not have taken two decades of advocacy by individuals to get the police and our city to recognize and follow the law of the AODA.”
City council voted back in September to move forward with an accessible entrance ramp.
