Commonwealth Stadium gets ‘average’ accessibility rating from disability advocate
Posted October 31, 2023 12:49 pm.
Last Updated October 31, 2023 12:52 pm.
It didn’t take long for Zachary Weeks’ experience at the Heritage Classic – his first hockey game in 20 years – to take a turn.
Weeks, who was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, attended Sunday’s Battle of Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium with his wife.
The experience, Weeks says, was far from fully inclusive.
Weeks, a disability advocate and accessibility consultant, arrived to find the accessible wheelchair section filled with fans – and no stadium staff enforcing the rules.
“Initially we thought ‘OK this will die down once everyone gets situated and into their seats to watch puck drop and watch the festivities. And it got worse and worse,” Weeks told CityNews.
The Oilers fan says he wanted to find an usher. But with thousands of people moving around and using the wheelchair section to get to their own seats, he felt it wasn’t safe.
“The fans are human, they’re trying to get through to their seats, but this is more of a Commonwealth Stadium issue,” he said.
So he decided to tweet about his situation, sharing a couple of videos and tagging the mayor and a city councillor in the process.
“I didn’t want to tweet out prematurely, but then it started to become a safety issue for me and my wife because people had to put their feet in my wife’s face to get over the railing,” Weeks said.
The City of Edmonton responded on X and deployed ushers and security. When Weeks returned from the washroom, ushers and police officers were on hand.
“I decided to go through the public way of tweeting out. And through the community engaging with my tweet and retweeting it, was able to be noticed enough to get some support in there, so we are really grateful for that,” said Weeks.
“Just the interaction on Twitter – I was impressed as well that they tweeted back – initially they tweeted back and said they were looking into it. And then they sent a follow-up tweet to say they dispatched ushers and security to come help out. That was reassuring to know you’re not just screaming into the void and hoping for the best.
“Then we could relax and enjoy the game like it was meant to be.”
In an emailed statement of CityNews, a City of Edmonton spokesperson says event attendees should speak to stadium event staff in similar situations.
“Commonwealth Stadium staff prioritize the safety of patrons and staff,” the statement reads. “Safety policies and fan code of conduct are in place for the enjoyment of fans at Stadium events.”
Weeks feels Commonwealth Stadium staff should know their building and the challenges from previous events like the Grey Cup.
“It goes back to crowd management and having the proper supports in place, not only for people with disabilities, but the safety of the general public,” he said. “If you can’t manage crowds like that then don’t sell that many tickets.
“It’s about making sure that you’re aware that you have the proper staffing in place to take care of your more vulnerable fans.”
‘We want to be a city that welcomes everyone‘
According to the city’s website and accessibility rating system, Commonwealth has an accessible score of “very good.”
Weeks believes that score reflects more the stadium’s “paths of travel” – getting into the building and to your seats – but that having 60,000 fans makes things different. He feels the stadium’s score is “average” in part because of a lack of enforcement.
“We’ve never going to hit 100 per cent in terms of accessibility, but we can sure hit high 90s if we want to be a city that welcomes everyone.”
He says he was disappointed by the early-game chaos after spending $400 on tickets, but ultimately enjoyed himself. In a subsequent tweet, he thanked the city, police and ushers for helping turn his evening around.
Weeks says more conversation about accessibility needs to happen before he would consider going back to a large event like the Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium.
“Nobody should have to worry about their safety in Canada and in North America,” he said. “I think if Commonwealth Stadium is authentic in their approach of wanting to be inclusive to all fans and opportunities, then let’s make this work.”
NHL provides sensory kits
The NHL did receive praise for a separate accessibility element at the Heritage Classic over the weekend.
Sensory kits – including ear plugs and sunglasses – were provided by the league.
It made for a pleasant hockey experience for Oilers fan Jayden Jesson, for whom loud environments can be stressful.
“I feel like it could get pretty noisy and if my ears get blown I can’t hear anything and then I go deaf. I’m already blind and I don’t want to lose my hearing.” Jayden said.
When asked about the sensory kits, the NHL pointed CityNews to their tweet about them.
“In an effort to make sure the game of hockey is an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone attending, the National Hockey League and The Assist partnered to supply Commonwealth Stadium with sensory kits for people with sensory needs for the #HeritageClassic,” the league wrote on X.
