'It takes away my independence”: Alberta woman speaks out against provincial law that prohibits use of her mobility scooter
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An Olds, Alta woman with accessibility issues is speaking out against the town after local bylaw officers informed her she would receive a $5,000 fine if she was caught using her mobility scooter on any street, sidewalk or pathway in town.
An Olds, Alta woman with accessibility issues is speaking out against the town after local bylaw officers informed her she would receive a $5,000 fine if she was caught using her mobility scooter on any street, sidewalk or pathway in town.
Jennifer Clarke, 48, was born with cerebral palsy and for the past six years she has been using her Gio All-Season Enclosed Mobility Scooter to get around town to complete day-to-day tasks.
On June 6, that all changed when she was operating her scooter in a nearby park.
“I was stopped and given a warning that I’d be fined $5,000 or that my mobility scooter would be towed if I used it on a public pathway,” Clarke said.
“I don’t think people realize how important accessibility is," she said. "This is my independence that enables me to go to the grocery store or to the hospital for bloodwork.
"It (the warning) takes away my independence," she added. "I feel like I’m just being discriminated against.”
Other local residents including senior citizens like Robert Fisher, who uses the same mobility scooter, have also been warned about not using the device around town.
