The Mimico GO Station lacks access for those with challenges and is rated as one of the most ignored stops in the network.
Politicians and community leaders say the Mimico GO Station is the most neglected in Toronto and it has been almost 10-years since Metrolinx promised residents to make the facility more accessible.
Members of the Mimico Residents Association (MRA) said seniors or others with mobility challenges face major issues in accessing parts of the station or trains if they are using wheelchairs, cane or moms pushing a baby stroller.
The group said another Canada National AccessAbility Week, which runs from May 25 to 31, has almost gone by and many people still cannot access the GO train.
Members of the Mimico Residents Association say the steep stairs cannot be accessed by those with mobility issues, wheelchairs, strollers or moms with baby strollers.
The MRA is holding a rally on May 27 outside the Mimico station to demand an accessible Mimico GO Station. Signatures are also being collected for a petition to be presented in the Ontario legislature by newly-elected Liberal MPP Lee Fairclough.
Fairclough sent a letter to the Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria on March 25, documenting the unkept promise to make the station accessible by 2023 and asking the Minister to prioritize construction and share Metrolinx’s design and construction timelines.
The MRA said the Mimico Station is one of a few stations still lacking accessibility features ‘which is an unacceptable reality that contradicts the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
“Generations of volunteer MRA directors have been fighting the unprecedented neglect our station has faced,” the MRA wrote in a letter to Metrolinx.
They said the lack of accessibility at the station creates ‘significant barriers for people with mobility constraints, seniors, caregivers and strollers and others who rely on accessible transit.’
The MRA has been trying for more than 10 years for the Mimico GO Station to be fully accessible and there is no idea when that will occur.
The association is seeking for the formation of a liaison committee including residents, stakeholders and Metrolinx officials to talk about the long-awaited updates and work progress.
The have letters dating back to 2016 when the community was first promised the updates by Metrolinx.
“Community frustrations and concerns grow,” wrote president Rozhen Asrani. “We ask that Metrolinx begin regular engagement sessions immediately to rebuild public trust and ensure accountability.”