City of St. John’s Celebrates National AccessAbility Week 2025

The City of St. John’s proudly celebrates National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) this year from May 25 to 31, 2025. On Tuesday May 27, Mayor Breen will proclaim AccessAbility Week in the City of St. John’s. This is a time to honour the  contributions of persons with disabilities and to celebrate the people, organizations and communities that are actively working to remove barriers to accessibility and inclusion.

At the City of St. John’s, we are committed to building an accessible, inclusive, healthy and safe community for all. Our Inclusion Advisory Committee, residents with lived experience, caregivers, and advocates help guide our policies and initiatives by identifying challenges and proposing real solutions. Their voices are essential in helping to make St. John’s a place where everyone can live, work, play, and learn equitably.

Highlights of Our Accessibility Efforts

Throughout the week, the City will be sharing updates and stories on our social media channels that highlight inclusive and accessible recreation opportunities and the goals of our 2024-2026 Accessibility Plan. Developed in collaboration with persons with disabilities, caregivers, and supporting organizations, this three-year plan identifies barriers and sets out clear actions for improving accessibility in programs, services, and spaces across the city. The City reports on progress annually – check out our 2024 Annual Accessibility Plan Report.

In 2024, the City’s Accessibility Facilitator also joined a nationwide initiative led by the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with Disabilities (ALACD) to help create a Municipal Recreation Guide for Disability Inclusion. This national project brought together persons with disabilities, inclusion professionals, caregivers, and researchers to identify best and promising practices that support more accessible and inclusive municipal recreation services.

Just ahead of NAAW, ALACD soft-launched the first part of the guide, which includes best practices in Inclusive Workplace Culture, Inclusive Programming and Accessibility in the Built Environment, with five more modules still to come. The City of St. John’s is proud to be part of this important work and encourages residents and municipal partners to explore the resource and apply its insights to local inclusion efforts.

Free Inclusive Swims

To help celebrate NAAW, and made possible by Year of Sport funding from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the City is offering two free inclusive swims:

Sunday, May 25, 3 to 3:50 p.m. - Everyone Welcome Swim - H.G.R. Mews Community Centre, Mundy Pond Road

Trail Explorers - May 28

Join the Trail Explorers Group for a friendly and welcoming, 2km walk/wheel along Kent’s Pond Trail on Wednesday, May 28 at 2PM. The group meets just before 2PM at the Pippy Park Parking Lot. Trail difficulty is rated at 3, with some steeper inclines and moderately challenging terrain. Adaptive equipment may be available on loan but must be booked in advance by emailing inclusion@stjohn.ca or calling 709 576 6972.

Red Shirt Day: May 28

We also invite residents to take part in Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion on Wednesday, May 28. This national initiative by Easter Seals encourages Canadians to wear red in support of removing physical, social, and systemic barriers. In recognition of this important day, City Hall will be lit in red.

Learn More

We encourage everyone to take time this week to learn more about how we are promoting accessibility and inclusion in our city.

Together, we’re building a city where everyone belongs.

Learn More