The fight to keep Signs Restaurant accessible continues.

Known for its sign language menus and deaf waitstaff, the owners of the Yonge and Wellesley eatery want to keep its entryway ramp. The city ordered it removed unless they apply for a temporary encroachment permit.

“This should not be a big deal,” says owner Anjan Manikumar. “Of all the problems the city has, why would they devote their energy to squashing our attempt to make Signs accessible to all?”

A temporary ramp, deployed as-needed, would mean no need for a permit. So on Jan. 16, Manikumar met with City Councilor Kristyn Wong-Tam to discuss how city officials could help make his ramp more portable.

“Ordinarily, we don’t devote Toronto tax dollars and city resources to bring private businesses into compliance with city bylaws,” said Wong-Tam. “The city is making a huge exception in this one case because we believe the resulting design can be applied to other businesses with similar challenges.”

The Disability Issues Committee chair also indicated the city’s accessibility guidelines are currently under review and hinted the encroachment bylaw may change as a result.

That’s good news for diners like Zoe Hennessy, a 12-year-old with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, who enjoyed a relaxing dinner out with her family thanks to Signs’ ramp.

“For the most part, we boycott businesses that aren’t accessible,” said Zoe’s mother Heather. “If you can’t provide an accessible option, then you don’t deserve our business.”

Manikumar says Signs is seeing more guests with disabilities, thanks to the ramp controversy, but that’s not their only inclusion effort.

“Signs is a great opportunity for people with disabilities because normally you can’t just go work somewhere if you’re deaf,” said Zoe.

Before Signs, bartender Tristan Kong experienced multi-year gaps in his work history as he struggled to find a job.

“Some employers call you and when they find out that you’re deaf they’re like, ‘No, sorry.’”

It’s a trend Manikumar wanted to reverse after learning sign language to assist a deaf patron at a Boston Pizza he managed six years ago.

“I had a great interaction with him and thought, wouldn’t it be fun to have a restaurant staffed by deaf people?’”

As he got to know the deaf community on a deeper level, members confided in him.

“They told me things like, ‘I was a dishwasher for two years until the restaurant closed down and then I was jobless for five years,’” said Manikumar. “This is my way of giving back to the community and this is why I went ahead with my idea, playing to the deaf community’s strength in American Sign Language.”

But Manikumar doesn’t want ordering in Sign Language to be a gimmick. To him, Signs is a restaurant that just happens to employ deaf servers, but should be judged on its food and service alone.

“We try to provide the best service and food possible.”

The Hennessy family noticed. Signs was able to accommodate not just Zoe’s disability, but her diet as well.

“Zoe has been on a gluten-free diet, by doctor’s orders, for a while now, so it’s really nice that Signs actually put some thought into their vegetarian options,” said her mom. “We even learned how to say vegetarian in sign language.”

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