New equipment will enable more people to enjoy all aspects of the Salmon Arm Fair, regardless of mobility limitations.
In a recent press release, fair organizers – whose goal is to ensure all guests have a safe, fun and enjoyable experience – announced the purchase of a mobility lift to access the grandstands. With no ramps or other measures in place for people with scooters, wheelchairs or other mobility issues, it has been a challenge for those individuals to see entertainment being held in that area. Though the Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association (SASLAA) renovated a viewing area by the announcer’s booth for people with such challenges, this lift opens up the grandstands to them as well.
“This is a great milestone for us,” SASLAA president Phil Wright said in a statement. “We want the fair to be accessible to everyone, and be able to provide safe, reliable access to our historic site.”
The lift will enable that as staff can now just roll the Mobilift into place and provide immediate access, without having to modify the facility.
Purchase of the lift was made possible through proceeds from this summer’s RCMP Musical Ride. The well-attended event resulted in a $42,000 surplus that was split between the SASLAA and Salmon Arm Rotary. The agriculture association had two projects in mind for its portion, the mobility lift and supporting local producers. To achieve the latter, they gave $4,500 of the proceeds to the Zest Commercial Food Hub to purchase a blast chiller and freezer, with a freezing capacity of 110 pounds and chilling of 154 pounds.
“It’s such a worthwhile organization,” Wright stated. “And one that helps local producers bring food products to market.”
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