The West Island Committee for Integrated Recreation

The West Island Committee for Integrated Recreation (WICIR) was initiated in 1990 at the request of Recreation Directors of the Lac-St-Louis region. It was a natural development considering the collaboration that had been developed over the years between municipal recreation departments and community groups on the West Island.

Since 1980, many West Island municipalities have been contracting the West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped (WIAIH) to provide special recreation services to people with intellectual handicaps living in their region. Today, there are 55 programs that provide a wide variety of recreational activities throughout the year. Not only do these programs cater to the special needs of the clientele, they provide essential respite for parents and caregivers, as well meaningful volunteer opportunities for young people in the community. No one municipality could provide these services - but working together allows West Island municipalities to offer an extraordinary service to their residents with intellectual disabilities at a very reasonable cost.

In 1991, it was decided to offer an integration service as well. This service is provided to anyone who has any kind of disability, including physical, sensorial, psychiatric as well as intellectual. The coordinator of this service works closely with recreation departments to support them in integrating people into their existing programs. She provides training to their staff and support to families and people with disabilities.

The West Island Committee for Integrated Recreation grew naturally out of this well-established partnership. It was set up to ensure that opportunities for participation in recreation activities by people with disabilities are available on the West Island as well as to increase and develop the collaboration between municipalities and associations of people with disabilities.

Today, the committee is comprised of recreation directors, community associations and people with disabilities. Since its inception, the committee has been working to promote accessibility and a range of leisure choices for people with disabilities, to look for common solutions to barriers which people with disabilities might encounter and to sensitize service providers as well as the community at large to the needs of those with disabilities.

Working together toward common goals has allowed recreation services for people with disabilities on the West Island to flourish. Among its accomplishments so far:

• The development of a training manual for municipal recreation providers entitled, Community for All.
• Many West Island municipalities have adopted a policy of free entrance for a companion needed by a person with a disability.
• During the Quebec week for people with handicaps, the committee hosted a reception to "celebrate abilities" of people with disabilities living on the West Island.
• The committee has provided training (in collaboration with WIAIH and Handidactis) for West Island summer recreation staff; last year almost 400 people were trained on including people with disabilities and this year more people will have the opportunity to participate.
• The committee has provided support to municipalities requesting funding under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs' companion program.

The West Island Committee for Integrated Recreation has proved to be an efficient way to ensure that municipalities work with the people they serve to provide recreation opportunities that respond to their common needs.