Come On Out!

Pride Toronto’s Pride Week is an annual, participatory, cultural festival and parade that celebrates, empowers and supports the diversity of the LGBTTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersexes and queer people) community.

The Dis/Ability Resources Committee of Pride Toronto – the not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organization that hosts Pride Week – exists all year round. We work to ensure that the activities of Pride Toronto do not exclude any person due to unnecessary barriers. During the weekend of Pride Week, June 25-27, 2004, we work to facilitate the participation of persons who: use wheelchairs, scooters and other assistive devices; have vision disabilities; are Deaf; use the assistance of working animals; require attendant services; or have other visible or invisible disabilities. There are activities and events for everyone to experience!

The north and south entertainment stages provide a variety of music and events throughout the weekend. Both stages will have wheelchair- and scooter-accessible “entertainment viewing areas” equipped with shaded chairs and tables for those who have difficulty standing, an accessible washroom and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters.

The Dyke March on June 26 and and the Pride Parade on June 27 are not to be missed. Come and participate! A group will be meeting at the Dis/Ability Resources headquarters and heading out from there. Friendly march/parade guides will be available to guide any person or push any wheelchair. For those who want to participate for just a portion, air-conditioned accessible Wheel-Trans buses can be boarded at designated rallying points.

If you want to watch the Dyke March and Pride Parade but won’t be able to stand for the duration, Dis/Ability viewing stands are available for you and your partner or companion. They will be wheelchair and scooter accessible, shaded from the sun and will have chairs available. An accessible washroom, water and attendant services will be provided.

Other resources available during the weekend:

The Dis/Ability Resources headquarters is a rest and social zone, a meeting area and an information centre with shaded sitting area, water and a accessible washroom. Come to the HQ to access our wheelchairs, attendant services, mobility assistants, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, audiocassettes, rest area for working animals and other services. A designated pick-up/drop-off point for Wheel-Trans will be right around the corner. If you have any questions or accessibility needs, or just want to chat, please drop by!

Wheel-Trans drop-off points will be situated throughout the Pride Week site. People with disabilities who are visiting Toronto may use Wheel-Trans services for a two-week period per year. Visitors need to apply for a temporary registration with Wheel-Trans and, to be eligible, must be registered with the specialized transit where they live. For more information, visit the Wheel-Trans website at www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/special.htm.

The Pride Guide becomes available about two weeks before Pride Week and will contain maps of the Pride Week Site indicating the locations of entertainment viewing areas, viewing stands, the Dis/Ability Resources headquarters, Pride Parade and Dyke March routes, Wheel-Trans pick-up/drop-off points and wheelchair/scooter-accessible washrooms.

Interested in meeting new people and helping make the weekend festivities of Pride Week as inclusive as possible? Then come on out and volunteer with Pride Toronto!

E-mail us at [email protected], visit the Dis/Ability Resources section on our website, www.pridetoronto.com, or call us at (416) 927-7433 (TTY/teletype users, please contact Pride Toronto using Bell Relay Service).

PRIDE WEEK

June 21-27, 2004

Dyke March: Saturday, June 26, 2:00 p.m.

Pride Parade: Sunday, June 27, 2:00 p.m.

Street Party: Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Community Fair and Marketplace