Photo by Marc King
This disabled man in the town of Falmouth, Trelawny, has a tough time getting around. The town, which boasts centuries-old Georgian architecture, still does not cater to the disabled.

FALMOUTH, Trelawny:

To visitors and tourists alike, Falmouth would seem like a typical bustling town. It is one of the few towns that contain an abundance of historic infrastructure, symbolism and information. Additionally, there are many renovated and original colonial-style buildings that house numerous personal businesses and government buildings. However, these buildings are not easily accessible to all citizens.

The occasional pedestrian and automobile congestion and everyday activities, don't seem to negatively impact the normal flow of businesses. On the other hand, disabled individuals specifically wheelchair users find it very difficult to safely navigate the town and its buildings.

More wheelchair ramps needed

A lack of sufficient wheelchair ramps, treacherous and uneven sidewalk surfaces and a lack of elevators, come along with the rustic atmosphere, which is Falmouth.

Sylvia Beckford, whose leg has been amputated, conducts a retail business in the town. She lives with the inconvenience and inconsistency of the various sidewalks and entrances in Falmouth. She alleviates the travelling woes by using her crutches and admits it is a little tricky getting around town.

"I am just really careful and watchful, especially of the dangerous surfaces, when I do business around the town," she said.

The Albert George Shopping Centre in Falmouth, a historic food market arena-turned-shopping centre, is a prime example of a building that has restricted mobility for the disabled. The building is surrounded by a series of steps that incline sharply and are even sometimes difficult for an able-bodied individual to manoeuvre. This shopping centre is used by foreigners and locals alike, yet only a few people seem remotely concerned about the lack of wheelchair ramps or other forms of disabled facilities. Speaking with various patrons at the shopping centre revealed a similar apathy to the issue.

The Falmouth branch of the National Commercial Bank does not have a safe route for the disabled either. However, there are bank agents who offer outside services to individuals who are physically unable to get inside.

The bank is supposedly set to make the changes after the Christmas season.

The Falmouth Post Office is also an extensively used structure that lacks a wheelchair ramp or any other form of easy accessibility for the disabled. It is one of the most frequently used buildings in the town, and like NCB, it has a plan in store to make life a little easier for the physically challenged.

More thorough investigation has revealed that the Bank of Nova Scotia remains one of the only fequently used buildings that has a wheelchair ramp.

There are other ramps and pathways that are said to be in the making around the town. Until then, these promises are all the disabled people of the town can lean on.

- Marc King