Transit activists wheel into action on South Shore

By PEGGY CURRAN
Of the Gazette

In March, Bill Bolte took a sledge-hammer to Hollywood's star-studded Walk of Fame because it wasn't wheelchair-accessible.

Bolte was arrested, although the vandalism charge was dropped, he says, "in the interests of justice."

Six months later, Bolte says the city of Los Angeles has come up with $360,000 to cut access ramps along the 2.5-kilometre sidewalk.

On Monday night, the wheelchair-bound American was arrested again - for the 14th time - when he chained himself to the doors of the underground parking garage at Place Ville Marie.

Released from Bordeaux Jail yesterday but banned from demonstrating on the island of Montreal, he joined about 20 disabled people who took their crusade for better public transit across the bridge.

There were no arrests during the brief, boisterous sit-in at the Brossard bus terminal.

But Bolte said another arrest was a risk he was ready to take as a member of ADAPT - American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit.

[Subheading] `Not willing to go last'

"Our only ability is to embarrass and expose the position of the able-bodied power structure, which is basically 'You go last,' " Bolte said. "Well, we aren't willing to go last any more."

For about half an hour during afternoon rush hour, members of ADAPT and their supporters staged a rowdy demonstration at the terminal on Taschereau Blvd.

Chanting "we will ride," about five disabled people parked their wheelchairs in front of a Montreal-bound bus.

That forced the South Shore transit authority to empty the bus and have passengers board other buses idling on Taschereau Blvd.

One of the disabled protesters, Marthe Bail of Quebec City, succeeded in boarding the bus by pulling herself out of her wheelchair and clinging to the handrails.

Bail, one of only four Quebecers who took part in yesterday's protest, said disabled Quebecers have a fundamental right to public transit.

And she said they shouldn't have to rely on the woefully inadequate service now provided.

[Subheading] Sympathetic response

In Montreal, for instance, she said disabled passengers must make reservations 48 hours in advance whenever they want to use the service. And the buses don't cross bridges, ruling out trips to Laval and the South Shore.

Pierre Beaudoin, whose bus was blocked by the protesters, said he respects their demands.

Beaudoin said he believes it would be possible to redesign regular buses to provide access to the disabled by installing lifts and setting aside space for wheelchairs.

For the most part, commuters who witnessed the demonstration were also sympathetic.

"They feel they have to do this to achieve their goals," said Andre Plante. "Who are we to complain? What's a delay of a few minutes? These people are handicapped for life."

Brossard resident Francine Labrosse said she doesn't think ADAPT's demands are very realistic.

I don't think the inside of the bus is wide enough for wheelchairs even if the lifts they want were installed," Labrosse said. "Of course, if the government decides it wants something anything is possible."

But at least one South Shore resident was outraged by the demonstration.

"How am I supposed to' get to work?" a livid Joseph Pacheco screamed at bus driver Beaudoin. "Am I supposed to take a taxi? That will cost me $11. Who is going to pay' for that?"

Author

Peggy Curran/the Gazette

Created on

Thursday 11 July 2013

Posted on

Thursday 18 January 2018

Tags

48 hour advance notice, ADAPT - American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit, arrests, banned from the city, Bill Bolte, blocking buses, Bordeaux jail, Brossard bus terminal, bystander, chains, crawling onto a bus, curb cuts, Hollywood Walk of Fame, limited service area, local people with disabilities, Los Angeles, Marie Barile, Place Ville Marie, sledgehammer

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