Photos credit: Treat Accessibly
Treat Accessibly recruits 29 of Canada’s busiest Halloween streets to show the nation how to be accessible.
This year Halloween falls on a Saturday for the first time since 2020 and not again until 2037, and with the anticipation brewing, 29 Canadian streets are showing the country how simple it is to make trick-or-treating accessible for every child. On October 31, 20 to 50 homes on these streets will move their Halloween treats to their driveways, garages or lawns, removing stairs and other barriers that stand between children and “trick or treating.”
On October 13, Treat Accessibly, a grassroots organization aimed at making Halloween inclusive, announced Canada’s 29 Treat Accessibly Halloween Streets, selected from hundreds of neighbourhood nominations across the country and one of those streets is Sir Lancelot Court on Bolton’s south hill.
Just Sayin’ Caledon spoke with volunteer Street Captain John Groe last week. John, who works as an accessibility consultant and has a daughter who is disabled, has been putting an inspiring effort into this awesome idea for six years now.
“While it is related to what I do for a living I firmly believe I should also be using my abilities to extend beyond that and help my community” he says with an obvious passion. “Halloween is something special and everyone deserves to feel part of their community. No one should be watching Halloween through a window.”
John says he has loved this idea from the beginning as it is a very safe and visible way to have fun and include everybody. He extends his gratitude to everyone who has shown their support for the event – from the OPP, to Firefighters (yes, there will be a truck), to Town staff (road closure), to local politicians – and incredible brand partners such as Kinder, Pet Valu, Canadian Tire and Re/Max.
The dedicated volunteer and dad says he is looking at a 5:00pm start on October 31 and is hoping to surpass their record of 600 attendees this year.
Treat Accessibly was founded in 2017 by Rich Padulo after his six-year-old daughter Siena asked how a child using a wheelchair could reach her family’s front door. Her family moved their treats to the driveway and made a lawn sign. Nine Halloweens later, more than 300,000 Canadian homes participate, free for families and funded by brand partners.
Across the country, free lawn signs will signal accessible homes in advance, and festivities will start early, in daylight, for children who benefit from a calmer experience. With more than one in four Canadians living with a disability, access matters on every street.
“We’re not asking anyone to change Halloween” says Rich. “We’re asking them to adapt what they already do – treat from the driveway, put up a sign, and welcome everybody.”
Any home and even street in Canada can join the Treat Accessibly movement this Halloween. Free Treat Accessibly lawn signs are available at Pet Valu Family of local stores (Pet Valu®, Bosley’s by Pet Valu®, Paulmac’s Pets®, Tisol ® and Total Pet®) or can be printed at treataccessibly.com. As well, there is an easy Street Captain’s tool kit, the very same proven by the 29 Captains across Canada already.
