Gateway Church receives accessibility award

A Winnipeg church is getting a nod from the province for its commitment to improving accessibility.

On Tuesday, Gateway Church announced they are being honoured as the first-ever winner of the Manitoba Accessibility Award for an urban non-profit organization.

"This award celebrates the progress Gateway has made toward becoming a more inclusive and accessible place of worship. We are grateful to all those who have helped us along this journey," the church writes in a Facebook post.

Families Minister Heather Stefanson announced on Wednesday the winners of the award's six categories. 

“Accessibility benefits every Manitoban,” Stefanson says. “Together, we are identifying and eliminating barriers that stand in the way of full inclusion and participation in our society for all. The Manitoba Accessibility Office will continue to be a critical resource for all Manitobans on these issues, providing guidance, resources and expertise.”

The winners include:

• large business – Winnipeg Airports Authority, Winnipeg;
• small business – Red Apple, Stonewall;
• urban non-profit organization – Gateway Church, Winnipeg;
• rural non-profit – Woodlands Pioneer Museum, Woodlands;
• large municipality – City of Selkirk; and
• small municipality – Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach.

Stefanson says all of the six winners' applications highlighted the importance of working in collaboration with community partners and the importance of making accessibility a priority.

"We want to send a HUGE thank you to Betty Alexander who has led the charge on this journey! Thank you for your compassion and leadership in this area. You have led the awareness campaign and equipped Gateway every step of the way," the church writes.

A webinar discussing accessibility and the awards took place on Wednesday afternoon.