The Stupidest Ramp in the World, Found in Toronto’s Finch West Subway Station

[00:00:03]Please stand clear of doors.

[00:00:07]>> Let me show you the stupidest accessibility ramp in the world. My name is David Lepofsky. I'm chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance.

[00:00:22]I'm standing inside the newly renovated Finch West Transit Station on the Toronto Transit Commission in Toronto, Canada. It's the Finch West Station, which is the meeting point of two different transit lines, the north-south subway line they call line one, and the brand new east-west line, which they call line six. How do you get around this station if you can't handle stairs? There's an elevator from line one up to the ground.

[00:00:55]There's an elevator for line six up to the ground.

[00:00:59]But, there's no elevator to get from line six to line one if you want to change train. You've got to go up the stupidest ramp in the world because they didn't install an elevator. I'm standing at the base of this ramp. This ramp has three parts to it. I'm at the base of the first part.

[00:01:22]It goes up, and then there's a landing.

[00:01:25]Then you switch to the second part, and then there's a landing. And then the third part. Altogether, it's almost 80 m long, or 261 ft using our tape measure.

[00:01:41]How high up do you have to go? There's a set of stairs by here you can take. Not so good if you got a wheelchair.

[00:01:50]But, there's 23 steps, and there's 6 in each, so it's an 11-ft vertical climb.

[00:02:00]I've never seen a ramp in a building that expects you to go up an entire floor using a ramp. I'm sure it's good if you're a Paralympian or a heavy-duty weightlifter, but for many people with disabilities, elderly people, people using strollers, people who just can't handle stairs, an 80-m ramp is just plain absurd. Now, I walked up this ramp at a decent walking pace. It took me a minute and 45 seconds. On the other hand, I walked up the stairs.

[00:02:41]It took me about 18 seconds.

[00:02:44]Imagine pushing a wheelchair using upper body strength to get up this ramp for at least a minute and 45 seconds.

[00:02:55]I hope you're in shape.

[00:02:59]Now, the organization that designed this brilliant ramp is called Metrolinx. It's an agency of the Ontario government.

[00:03:09]And it's not like they hadn't a clue that people with disabilities should have a ramp when they go from one subway line up to another.

[00:03:19]I'll show you the new Eglinton West Station, now called Cedarvale, where you switch between the north-south Line 1 and the east-west Line 5.

[00:03:30]I did another video about a another accessibility bungle on that line. But at least in that station, they give you the option of an elevator to go from Line 5 up to Line 1.

[00:03:45]They don't expect you to have to go up a ramp like this. So, why on earth did they do that at this new station.

[00:03:53]It makes no sense.

[00:03:55]Have you seen an accessibility barrier at any station stop that Metrolinx is responsible for?

[00:04:02]Email them and tell them about it. Send a photo.

[00:04:06]Email them at [email protected].

[00:04:12]Here I'm at the Eglinton West or Cedarvale Station on the line five platform going east and west. And I'm right in front of the elevator that will take me up to the line one platform going north and south.

[00:04:30]They did it here.

[00:04:32]Why didn't they do it at the Finch West Station?