Kitchener senior with mobility issues faces months without accessible parking

CBC

3 days ago

Renate Euteneier is facing the threat of losing her parking spot, and with it, her independence.
Euteneier, who turns 87 this fall, requires an accessible parking permit. While the parking garage in her Kitchener apartment building undergoes renovations, she's been told she has to park elsewhere.
"I'm having nightmares," she told CBC News.
Euteneier said she's worried losing her spot means she'll be housebound for fear of having to park too far away. But she admits, "I have to get out sometime."
From accessible to inaccessible overnight
When Euteneier moved into the building nearly 10 years ago, she didn't have accessibility requirements. Since then, her mobility has deteriorated, but luckily, the parking space included in her lease has always worked for her needs.
However, with renovations slated from June to October, building managers M. Schiketanz Real Estate say she'll have to use a temporary lot half of a kilometre downhill from her building — a distance Euteneier says she simply can't manage anymore.
"I'm not walking as fast as I used to," she said, adding that she now uses a walking stick for mobility.
When she got a notice saying she would be losing her spot for a time, she reached out to management to let them know about her situation, saying she was hopeful they would accommodate her disability.
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So when several visitor parking spaces opened up close to the building, she asked if she could use one of them.
Euteneier said their response was "no."
She said that despite speaking to managers on the phone and attending an in-person meeting, they've offered "no solutions."
In an emailed statement, M. Schiketanz president Mark Machel said Euteneier is not on the company's "ambulatory list," which helps determine priority for accessible parking. He acknowledged the situation is challenging, but said the company is "doing our best considering the situation."
The statement said that visitor spots at the building would be first-come-first-serve. Machel said some spots had been converted to accessible spaces, but they would also be unassigned.
"Providing a reserved space for tenants creates a problem that everyone else wants one too," he said.
"We do understand tenant needs and are trying to accommodate everyone, but it is difficult."
A lack of reasonable alternatives
Street parking has also been suggested, but the stretch of road outside Euteneier's building is shared with two nearby schools, meaning there's a lot of congestion and limited availability during the day. She said she's worried there's no guarantee she'll be able to park near her home.
She said if management "would give us some room somewhere, some consideration somewhere," it would help.
And Euteneier's not alone. She worries about what this means for other residents with mobility issues, too.
"It's not only us few who have a handicapped sticker, it's a lot of other old people who don't have it."
What does the law say?
In Ontario, landlords are required to accommodate tenants with disabilities under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
"It's not just a matter of, 'shucks, there's nothing we can do,'" said David Lepofsky, chair of the AODA Alliance.
"They have to show it would be impossible to do anything more for this individual without undue hardship," he said.
Lepofsky said that includes a duty for the landlords to investigate reasonable alternatives.
In Euteneier's case, Lepofsky believes the building managers will have a hard time making the case that it's impossible to accommodate her.
Her story resonates with others in Waterloo region, too.
CJ Janzen, vice-chair of Cambridge's Accessibility Advisory Committee, said they went through a similar situation last year when their parking spot was under renovation.
Janzen, who uses a wheelchair, said they had to "fight to have special cones placed in the one spot so that I could park my van and have the ramps come out at curb level."
"At least I didn't have to go half a mile."
A broader issue
Advocates say Euteneier's situation is just one example of a broader issue.
"We have an accessible housing crisis in Canada, not just a shortage — a crisis," said Lepofsky.
Edward Faruzel, executive director of Kitchener-Waterloo AccessAbility, said the region isn't exempt from these issues. He said the supply of housing that meets accessibility needs is far too low.
"Especially for somebody that needs wheelchair access," he said.
Faruzel said the waiting list for accessible housing in Waterloo region "is up to 10 years."
Euteneier said she feels stuck. She's unable to rely on accessible parking, but she also can't afford to leave. In addition, Faruzel said it's unlikely she'd find a suitable apartment in just five months, anyway.
But that doesn't mean she isn't considering it.
"I've been too independent," she said. "So now I've learned to not be so independent."
"Maybe I'll go into a nursing home for a few months," she said.
She's also considering moving into her son's Georgetown, Ont., home, "just to get out."
'Oh my god, I have sleepless nights'
With the countdown on before the parking garage shuts down, Euteneier is running out of options.
"Oh my god, I have sleepless nights," she said.