McGill Rd, Kamloops, BC V2C 6N2 50.668694, -120.364357 850
This photo shows the infamous hill leading down to TRU or heading up to McGill. This hill proves a difficult challenge for people without disabilities, and one can only imagine how much of a challenge it can be for a person with a disability. As seen within the photo, all the accessibility dips are uncomfortably close to the road. Considering the bus system that follows this road and constant traffic, one must always be aware of cars or buses passing by.
If someone wishes to cross the street to the gym or bus stop, they are either met with pothole-filled speed bumps that serve as crosswalks or rough terrain after the four-way. Crosswalk paint is also heavily weathered, and is hard to view if one has visibility issues.
These sidewalks are also narrow, and along with constant students walking, would be inaccessible for mobility aids or wheelchairs. Not to mention the steepness, which provides no stopping for wheelchairs, and getting back up the hill would be impossible. This creates an unfair environment for those who rely on aids as their wheels can easily get stuck on potholes, uneven dips, or be unable to stop going down the hill.
Other routes to the campus or dormitories also include steep staircases and more hills. Meaning those with a disability have to utilize the bus system to get back home. Kamloops bus systems are also notorious for being late and crowded, creating a space of frustration especially with after class rushes.
Overall, this highlights a complete lack of universal design, and the bus system being an alternative implies a medical model of understanding disability.
