Edible Vancouver Island July/August 2024

EDIBLE DESIGN

It's [meaningful accessibility] a holistic approach to design that considers the entire experience instead of individual features.

from entry to entrée The case for meaningful accessibility in restaurants

WORDS ROBIN WHYTE PHOTO DOMINIC HALL

d ining out is a special treat we give ourselves and those we love. Whether it’s to socialize with friends, to celebrate an occasion, to reward ourselves after a particularly taxing week at work or simply to avoid cleanup duties, visiting local restaurants can be a frequent occurrence–and for some of us, it happens a lot. I’m Robin Whyte; I live in Victoria, and I love ALL of the fabulous eating experiences that are on offer in our award-winning city, to the extent that I created a website about them, but with a twist. My website is called Girl About Town: Accessible Victoria

(girlabouttown.ca), and the reviews I conduct and post on my website are primarily focused on a restaurant’s level of meaningful accessibility. But when I talk about meaningful accessibility, you may wonder what I’m referring to exactly, and also, why do I particularly care? MEANINGFUL ACCESSIBILITY Meaningful accessibility, when referring to the built environment, is defined as the intent to meet the needs of all users of a site (a building or outdoor space) regardless of their ability. It’s a holistic

18 JUL/AUG 2024 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND