Commercial Drive is a Vancouver
neighborhood known as a unique everything goes sort of community and is
familiar to most Vancouverites as a culinary and music hub. For this project, each
of us being of able-bodied privilege, we felt that it would be important and
beneficial to explore the venues and restaurants that we would (and have) taken
partners on romantic dates, and not explicitly seeking venues we believed to be
more accessible than others. We felt that the overall process of looking at
these dinner, venue and private locations, with an (dis)ability lens was an
incredibly beneficial process and experience, as it made visible ablest ideologies and representations within public
commercial spaces.
For this project we sought out three locations
that were within a short distance from each other and the locations were:
Merchants Oyster Bar, The Libra Room and The Charlatan Bar. Overall, our
questions regarding accessibility for wheelchairs users were taken seriously at
all three locations, and although we did face barriers within a few of the spaces,
each of the venues were happy to be as accommodating as possible. A common
phrase reoccurred throughout our project and that was that “people with
wheelchairs have been here before” often followed by a positive description of
what venue management viewed of the person with disabilities experience. We
felt that this positive and welcoming response reflects the activist-based east
Vancouver neighbourhood as a welcoming and accessible area for people with all
different forms of abilities.
Merchants Oyster Bar – Meal
the above photos show Merchant’s accessible outdoor patio as well as their spacious and low table interior
For the first aspect of our date, for a
dinner meal, we ventured to a new joint on “The Drive” called Merchant’s Oyster
Bar. It’s a small place always packed to the brim particularly on weekends and
as most do, we decided to make ours a weekend date. We were warmly welcomed by
the restaurant manager who expressed our visit would be accommodated and made
enjoyable in any way possible. We inquired about bringing in a friend in for a
date next weekend who would be in a wheel chair. Being a small area what would he
suggest for optimal comfort during busy hours? The manager did not hesitate in
the slightest as he recommended different tables for varying times of dining
capacity including table numbers we could ask for if reserving ahead which he
would be more than happy to set aside. Further our new friend showed us how we
could best reach the large restroom equipped with side rails and wide doorway.
In addition we noticed a patio, which was accessible by double door from the
inside with no stairs or gateway from the outside again with no stairs or grid
from the sidewalk to the tables. The manager stated he has had customers with
wheelchairs in the past and certainly would do everything possible to make all
his patrons comfortable during their visit.
Our experience was extremely positive
with the Merchant’s Oyster Bar management and venue but it is undeniable that
it takes additional energy and effort to ensure comfort when going about the
most rudimentary activities such as dining out with a disability. Public spaces
tend to meet minimal standards of accessibility such as doorway widths and
handicap washrooms and alternative entrances but ultimately it is easy to see
that restaurants, bars, markets and neighborhood shops are originally built with
the assumption of ability and bodies who differ from this assumption are forced
to ask and or work for personal access.
The Libra Room –
Entertainment
The above photos highlight what the Libra room
appears like from both inside and
outside. The photo of the bars interior highlights a large portion of the space
dedicated to lower and wheelchair accessible tables.
For the event element of our date, we
decided to go to the Libra Room, a cozy music venue close to Merchant’s
restaurant that often plays live jazz and blues. We called in to inquire about reservations,
and if we needed to make one in order to ensure there would be an accessible
table available to us later in the evening. The restaurant employee we spoke
with informed us that the only issue we might face would be to access the disability
bathroom. She mentioned that the numerous tables that were accessible to
wheelchairs were located on the side of the room that had steps leading up to
one set of bathrooms, and that one would have to move across the room in order
to get to the stair-less and accessible bathroom. The woman was apologetic on the phone,
acknowledging the problems with the set-up, and mentioned that if we had any
problems to just reach out to the staff on hand and that they would be glad to
assist in any way possible. She also mentioned that they have catered to
numerous people with different accessibility issues and mentioned that many
leave having a great experience.
The person who we spoke with was very
reassuring that we would have no problem having an accessible table if we
called in a few days ahead of the night we intended to come in on. Although
this was accommodating, it did reassert the problematic issue that it is the
responsibility of people with disabilities to reserve and plan ahead in order
to have an accessible experience within public spaces. It can be argued that
this is an example of how “public space” is not a space or an environment that
fully caters to disabled bodies, but rather to the body that benefits the
patriarchal capitalist model.
We have both accessed this space on numerous
occasions, and have both recognized that the venue can fill up quite quickly,
making it difficult for any body of any ability to maneuver around the space.
Hearing this staff member acknowledge these difficulties was really beneficial,
as it highlighted the potential awareness of the barriers that people with
disabilities might face within a music/concert venue.
The Charlatan –
Privacy
For the
final aspect of our date, Michelle and I discussed where we would go on
Commercial Drive that would qualify as a dimly-lit bar that would enable us on
our dates to have some privacy, and immediately thought of the Charlatan Bar.
We thought of this place because we remembered fondly of its private and
romantic environment, and it was an interesting and mixed experience observing
the bar’s accessibility.
We were
greeted kindly and our inquiries regarding what our options were in terms of
accessible tables and bathrooms were taken seriously. Unfortunately, it became clear that 95% of
the bar caters to the able-bodied individual. This was evident due to the fact
that it had narrow walkways to get around the bar and most of the tables, along
with three different sets of stairs to get to the lower, quieter, and more
private tables. The tables that was located on the floor that did not have any
sets of stairs, were mainly high top tables as well. This set-up was also
identical to their outside patio, which unfortunately did not have a ramp or
alternative entry way.
The above photos show the stairway, and lower level
set up both on the patio and within the bar which leads down to the lower and
more private tables.
Due to
the in-accessibility of this set up, we were left with minimal tables available
for us to choose from, other than 5 lower tables near the front of the bar and
close to the window. These tables did not have the dark and private-feel that
we initially wanted, but we were told that they were supposedly close and
easily accessible to the bathrooms, which we thought would be beneficial.
Unfortunately, we noticed that due to the bar and table set-up located directly
nearby the accessible tables, we realized that it would take a considerable
amount of effort to be able to get to and from the bathrooms.
Attempting
to find a more secluded and romantic spot in a public space that is wheelchair
accessible was one of the more challenging aspects of our date. As we discussed
in class, and again re-affirmed on our date, it becomes clear that ablest
ideologies regarding who can be sexual and intimate does often appear within the
structures of public environments. For example, seeing the layout of the bar in
terms of its lack of accessibility led us to question, why did this bar put
stairs instead of a ramp to lead to the more private tables on the lower
floors? Was it acknowledged that people with disabilities would want a table
that was not close to the entry door, but rather a more private location?
In our opinion, these questions reveal that
bars like the Charlatan and many others, are influenced by how ablest
ideologies have created the social labelling of bodies as either normal or
abnormal. By creating a ‘private’ environment that can only be accessed by able
bodied people, perpetuates the myth that only people with certain abilities can
be and desire to be sexual. This narrow perspective reinforces the question of
how public spaces maintain problematic constructions of sexuality and
disability.
Conclusion
We both live on the drive and enjoy romancing
our partners with food, music and art in all the funky venues that line our
beloved East side but have come to realize that we, for the most part, can do
this without thinking because we are allowed space. We are handed space without
question because we are two visibly able bodied people dating two other able
bodied people. We don’t have to make reservations because the waiter can
squeeze us into that two-person table at the back and isn’t that intimate? The
bar is full? That’s ok because there are steps out onto the narrow patio or we
could go to that great Italian place Arriva but you can’t because there’s a
gate and steps to reach the door.
On the Drive we feel comfortable enough
to show affection to our partners without much attention or ado but for a
person with disability that’s call for curious gazes and public interest. Every
individual is entitled to social interaction, intimacy and ability to express
their sexuality so why are only certain bodies being given the tools to do so
outside of the home? Although most places we went to on the Drive were friendly
and relatively accommodating we have found ourselves wondering why that’s
enough. Tolerance is a bad word when it comes to difference in the form of
gender or race, tolerance is simply masking or hushing discrimination so how is
barely accommodating disability within able-bodied space any different? Time
for an all inclusive design change.
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