The app uses GPS technology to show the location of things like businesses, curb cuts and public seating. It also gives directions based on orientation and allows for customized pointers, allowing users to make their way around the mall with confidence. The app is used in other provinces to help people access public transit, parks and more. Duane Morgan, vice-president of Atlantic Canada for CNIB and a user of the app, says it’s a game changer for getting around the region. The city of St. John’s has launched a pilot project to make its downtown pedestrian mall inclusive of people who are blind or partially blind — but a disability justice advocate says the way the city implemented the project is excluding her and many others . The city has partnered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and Frontier Accessibility to launch BlindSquare, a navigation app that allows people with low vision or blindness to navigate the mall safely. “The most important part is that it gives more independence to a person with vision loss. So I don’t necessarily need someone to go with me to give me all that information about what’s around me and where I am,” Morgan said Wednesday. “It gives me a lot of information that I might not necessarily be able to pick up while walking because I don’t see signage or other cues.” A man walks down the street in Downtown St. John’s. He is blind and walks with a white cane and a phone to give him directions. “The city wants everyone to enjoy what we have and we don’t want to exclude any segment of the population,” Hanlon said Wednesday. “We’re all trying to find other ways we can make it more inclusive because we want everyone to come down and enjoy, not just the pedestrian mall, we want everyone to enjoy the city.” Duane Morgan is blind and can cross the downtown pedestrian mall with the help of BlindSquare. He says it’s a game changer for navigating the region. (Katie Breen/CBC) Morgan said CNIB will work with the city to do more testing and provide feedback on how the project worked or where else it could be used. The Count of Agios Ioannis. Debbie Hanlon, the city’s head of accessibility, said the project has been in the works for two years and it’s exciting to be rolling out the app. News Summary:
According to an advocate, the new accessibility software for the St. John’s excludes some visually impaired people. Check out all the news and articles from the latest security news updates.
