accessibility barriers – Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life.

Opening the Gates: Why Accessibility in Greenspaces Matters for Everyone

When we talk about access to nature, we often picture a trail winding through wildflowers, the gentle hush of the riverbank, or the crunch of leaves underfoot. But for many people, those paths are still blocked — by design, by oversight, silence and sometimes by people who, without realizing it, create exclusion through a lack of understanding of what it means to live with a disability. The result is more than inaccessibility; it’s the quiet ripple of loss, isolation, and non-acceptance that touches not only individuals but their families and friends too.

Accessibility in greenspaces isn’t just about ramps and railings. It’s about belonging. It’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, age, or background, can find joy, calm, and connection in the natural world. As Meewasin works toward creating a more inclusive valley, we’re being reminded that inclusion isn’t a checkbox—it’s a practice, one that grows stronger when communities are invited to shape it.

Listening First: Meewasin’s Accessibility Plan

Meewasin has made a public commitment to identify and remove barriers in how people access its facilities, trails, information, and programs. To make this commitment real, Meewasin is developing an Accessibility Plan—a living document that will evolve every three years as new needs, ideas, and technologies emerge.

But this plan isn’t being written behind closed doors. Meewasin is asking for voices—your voice. The Meewasin Accessibility Survey invites feedback from staff, visitors, community groups, partners, and local businesses to ensure the plan reflects the real experiences of those who use and love the valley.

Your responses will directly shape the strategies that define how everyone experiences Meewasin’s landscapes—whether that’s a parent with a stroller, an elder using a walker, or a child who navigates the world differently.

👉 Take the Meewasin Accessibility Survey here.

A National Conversation on Inclusion

This conversation extends beyond Saskatoon. Earlier this year, the 2025 Canadian Inclusive Green Spaces Symposium, held right here in Saskatoon, gathered more than 150 leaders from across the country. The event sparked essential dialogue on how we can ensure everyone in Canada has access to safe, welcoming, and inclusive green spaces.

The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) is now compiling insights from that symposium—stories of success, collaboration, and the persistent work ahead. Their findings will be shared at the upcoming Forward Together Summit later this autumn, continuing the national conversation on how parks can advance wellbeing, sustainability, and community resilience.

Before then, you can join the next step of this dialogue at a CPRA webinar on November 20 at 1:00 p.m. EST (12:00 noon CST), where new research will be unveiled and participants will help shape the next chapter of inclusive park planning.
👉 Register for the Webinar

Accessibility as a Right, Not a Privilege

Here in Saskatoon, accessibility planning is being strengthened by the Accessible Saskatchewan Act, which calls on every municipality to develop its own accessibility plan. The City of Saskatoon recognizes that while much progress has been made to improve access and services, there is still room to grow.

Over the coming year, the City aims to develop an Accessibility Plan for #BarrierFreeYXE that truly reflects the lived experiences of all residents. The goal is to find, fix, and remove barriers so that everyone—especially people with accessibility needs—can participate fully in community life. This plan, required by December 3, 2025, will be a foundational step toward making Saskatoon a city where inclusion is not an afterthought but a guiding principle.

More information: Accessible Saskatchewan Act – Summary of Bill

The Path Ahead

As a disabled environmental advocate, we’ve often thought about how access to nature is a form of justice. When greenspaces are designed inclusively, they don’t just become more accessible—they become more human. They invite diversity, connection, and care. They remind us that nature isn’t exclusive terrain—it’s shared ground.

Imagine sitting in your car on a bright afternoon, the sound of birdsong drifting in from the trees just beyond reach. Your family steps out, their laughter carried by the wind as they head toward the path winding through the greenspace. But for you, that simple act—leaving the vehicle—is impossible. The trail isn’t accessible, and your wheelchair isn’t allowed. You watch as your children run ahead, their shoes splashing near the wetlands, their voices tumbling back toward you with stories of frogs, flowers, and freedom. They press their faces to the window, eager to tell you what they saw before darting off again with their dad or their auntie. You smile, because they are happy. But as you sit in the quiet that follows, tears come. You realize that even as a nature lover that this is one joy you’ll never fully share with them—one world from which you are quietly, systematically excluded. So you weep in silence. Accessibility isn’t just about ramps and pathways; it’s about belonging, and the heartbreak of being left behind in places meant for everyone. Your wheelchair isn’t allowed.

Meewasin’s call for input isn’t just about compliance; it’s about co-creation. It’s about reshaping what it means to belong in our natural spaces. And it’s about ensuring that every person—whether rolling, walking, or resting—can find themselves reflected in the landscape.

Accessibility isn’t a finish line. It’s a shared journey. And with every survey response, every conversation, every redesigned trail, we move one step closer to a future where everyone can come to nature, come to life.