A small group of people came together in North Vancouver Saturday morning to better understand challenges the visually impaired face when walking around in the city.
North Vancouver resident David Brun led the walk with his guide dog, Nadia, and showed some of the many obstacles those who are blind and low vision encounter.
“All that we ask with engineers and designers is that it’s designed in a consistent and understandable way,” Brun said.
This marks the fourth walk Brun has done alongside the Walkers' Caucus, a local group that advocates for improving walkability in the community.
The hour-long walk started on the corner of Lonsdale Avenue and Esplanade Street, turning east along Esplanade to St. George Avenue.
Brun was born with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare eye condition that makes cells in the retina break down slowly over time, causing vision loss. At a young age, Brun started having trouble seeing at night, and his vision deteriorated from there.
Travelling down the street can sometimes be challenging for Brun, especially with street crossings that aren’t built with accessibility or the visually impaired in mind. Bike lanes, flattened curbs and silent street crossings are some of the things Brun must consider when crossing the street. But it can be extra challenging if there is construction or loud traffic noise.
“My disability is really not that impactful, but in situations where I encounter street crossings that are poorly laid out or confusing because of how they’ve been applied, [or] the idea with the floating bus stops of where I’m supposed to hit all these different marks to make it safely to my destination, that’s when I feel disabled,” Brun said.
City of North Vancouver Coun. Shervin Shahriari was one of the attendees during the walk. He went on the walk to understand what the municipality could do to improve pedestrian safety, he said, adding that the walk helped him better understand how people with varying abilities navigate the city.
“I learned how Nadia helps David identify where he should stop at an intersection. In some situations, crosswalk pedestrian buttons are not easily reachable when he stands on a tactile element,” Shahriari said.
“While walking with David, I also heard other concerns, such as difficulties in locating and crossing the mobility lane to reach the bus stop on Esplanade,” he added.
Shahriari is also part of the North Shore Accessibility Advisory Committee. The committee’s purpose is to identify barriers for people with disabilities within the city and provide advice on how to remove and prevent barriers. The committee also provides an accessibility lens for municipal plans and projects, according to the city’s website.
The walks in North Vancouver began in February this year, after pedestrian safety advocate Vic Leach put out a call in December 2023 to find someone to lead in the city. Brun heard the call and volunteered.
Since the walks in North Vancouver started earlier this year, Coun. Jessica Mcllroy, Tony Valente, District of North Vancouver Coun. Herman Mah and North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Susie Chant have joined to learn more about what improvements could be made throughout the city.
The Walkers’ Caucus formed in 2016, and Leach began going on regular walks shortly after to see what could be improved.
“The reason that we’re looking at elected officials is that they can help make the difference if they pass legislation,” Leach said.
Having people like Brun share their perspective is vital to improving accessibility for everyone, Leach said, adding that street designs can be complex, but he hopes future intersections or upgrades in general involve more of the commuter community.
“My hope is that there’s not only the dialogue, but it’s really the commitment that we start working together to a standard, and to me, it’s a universal standard,” Brun said. “I think if we do it right, it benefits everybody.”
Brun and Leach have been in contact with Mayor Linda Buchanan and hope to go on the next walk in January 2025.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative. [email protected]
