What We Heard: Public Engagement for BlindSquare

The City of St. John’s and CNIB piloted the BlindSquare Event Application at the Downtown Pedestrian Mall this summer, followed by public engagement in September and October. The What We Heard document is now available and will be presented during Committee of the Whole meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 30, along with recommendations for future use of the app.

The BlindSquare Event application is an accessible navigation and wayfinding tool designed for individuals with low vision or blindness, or any person who would benefit from a wayfinding tool to navigate an area safely.

The public engagement process included an online survey with 26 responses, a total of 74 visits to EngageStJohns.ca, and meetings with the CNIB, and the city’s Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Feedback received during public engagement was primarily positive with a consensus for the City to continue to implement the BlindSquare Event app as a wayfinding and navigation tool at the pedestrian mall, and to explore its use in other locations.

During the pilot project, the application was not available on Android devices, and this was noted as being a concern for some people. BlindSquare have indicated that an android version is in development but have yet to confirm an official release date.

Pending the app being available for both iOS and Android, key stakeholders and public engagement participants favour continued use of the app during the 2023 Downtown Pedestrian Mall event.