Lunenburg gearing up to host 2024 Mobility Cup. But will it be accessible enough?

When Gale Fullerton got confirmation last year that the Lunenburg Yacht Club would be hosting the 2024 Mobility Cup, she knew how much work lay ahead of her to make it happen.

From updating the club's existing infrastructure to finding fully accessible accommodations and transportation for participants, she said she started working non-stop. 

"We had accommodations to arrange. We had transportation to arrange. I also spent a long time writing grant applications and we had met with all three levels of government," said Fullerton, who had bid to host the cup back in December 2022. 

The Mobility Cup is a unique regatta in Canada that's specifically for people with disabilities, bringing together both new and experienced sailors. 

After 10 successful years offering an Able Sail program for people with disabilities, Fullerton believed it was time for her club to host the cup.

As the general manager, she had helped organize smaller competitions featuring six to eight boats. But the upcoming regatta, set for Aug. 26-31, will involve between 30 and 40 sailors with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities.

More accessible accommodations needed

Kevin Penny, an accessibility advocate and wheelchair user, said he is glad the competition is happening near his home city of Halifax. 

While he is still unsure if he will be able to compete, he said he has been an active participant and supporter of the event since 2006 when he sailed in Vancouver for the first time.

However, the 47-year-old quadriplegic sailor expressed concern about the lack of accessible accommodations in the area. 

Penny said that accessible rooms vary but common features include automatic doors, ramps, elevators, handrails in bathrooms and wide entrances for wheelchairs.

"Someone like myself who uses a power wheelchair would need, obviously, access to the room, whether it's on the first floor or has access to an elevator," he said. "That does cause a barrier for some people." 

When Fullerton started calling inns and B&Bs in the town of Lunenburg, which is a popular tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, she was "really shocked" to find that there were only three fully accessible rooms. 

"When people bought the inns they manage, they bought what they bought. And unless they needed to do a renovation, it's not something that would be top of mind for most people," she said. 

While participants pay for accommodations, the host club is responsible for assisting them in finding accessible lodging for a week.

Fullerton's yacht club was able to secure accommodations in the surrounding area. She blocked 20 rooms at Best Western Plus Cookville, which has previously hosted Paralympic sledge hockey players.  

The 2024 Mobility Cup also recommends accommodations in Bridgewater and Mahone Bay on its website.

Limited public transit

Transportation is another big challenge, as the municipality has limited public transit. 

Fullerton said a sponsor has provided a bus that can accommodate half a dozen wheelchairs, making the shuttle service more efficient.

Besides transportation between accommodations and the competition venue, Penny said those coming from out of province will most likely need transportation from the airport.

"If you need accessible transportation to Lunenburg … that can be challenging and costly for some individuals," he said.  

Updating infrastructure

Fullerton said she applied for grants to the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg to update the infrastructure of the yacht club for the competition. 

She enlisted the help of Halifax architect Anne Sinclair, who toured the facility to identify any issues with the infrastructure that needed to be fixed ahead of the event. 

"I think she helped us tremendously in the long term because everything we did to upgrade our facilities, according to Anne's instructions, is to the 2030 standards. So we're ahead of that curve with some of the things we've already done," said Fullerton.

Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson said the council voted in favour of granting the club tax receipts for $47,620 to help them prepare for the event. The municipality also gave the club $4,500 for the event through a separate grant. 

Raising awareness

Fullerton said she has noticed a change of attitude as she works to organize the event, holding discussions with people, companies and community groups in which accessibility is "very top of mind."

For Penny, sailing is one of the few sports that he can participate in after suffering a spinal cord injury at age 14. He said it's important for him and other people with disabilities to compete and have a chance to get involved in the community. 

"I've been able to meet many, many individuals from across the country with different types of disabilities and been able to become friends with them and compete against them," he said.

Penny said he also believes sailing helps people with disabilities to relax and gain a sense of freedom. 

"It's really mentally satisfying. You're kind of getting away from the world. You're out on the ocean. It's just a great way to kind of get away from it all."