The unfortunate part of this is that Mike didn’t have a choice — there’s no ramp for wheelchairs to access the other sidewalk. He has to use driveways to cross the street.

Barb says she worries about his safety. It’s dangerous enough to cross at marked intersections. This past May, a wheelchair-bound man was struck and killed while crossing the street.

She also fears the lack of a curb-ramp is limiting his movement in the neighbourhood.

Mike doesn’t wander too far anymore, Barb says. Since the accident, he pretty much sticks to their side of the street when he’s on his own. Barb thinks he might be suffering trauma from the accident and isn’t comfortable crossing at driveways anymore.

She says she wants the city to make good on its promise to install a ramp.

Barb says former city council member Andy Van Hellemond came by to listen to their concerns and promised that something would be done about the sidewalk, but nothing came of it.

While Van Hellemond didn’t seek re-election in 2018, Barb says council member Rodrigo Goller came by after he was elected and said he would also look into it.

Goller says via-email that he notes down when he speaks with people about the issues they face. He says he'll reach out to the city's engineering department to see what can be done about the curbs, before getting back in touch with the Spongas.

While the 2005 Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act mandates that all new sidewalks must be accessible to people with disabilities, there is nothing that says cities must retrofit existing sidewalks. It’s up to the city to take the lead.

Katherine Galley, a representative for the city, wasn’t able to get the exact numbers on how many sidewalks still need a ramp; however, she says the majority of sidewalks in Guelph are accessible by wheelchair.

Galley says the goal is to make all sidewalks accessible by the end of 2019.

The Spongas have lived in the neighbourhood since 1969. Barb says the city came by a few years ago to level the sidewalks, after asking for help for years.

She says she’s hoping the ramp won’t take quite so long.