Glebe businesses audit accessibility ahead of wheelchair basketball world championships in September

The Glebe BIA is overhauling accessibility across its member businesses in preparation for the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation World Championships running September 9–19 at TD Place.

The 11-day event will bring 336 athletes across 28 teams, along with coaches, medical staff, and media — more than 1,200 participants total.

Darrell Cox, executive director of the Glebe BIA, said the organization completed an accessibility audit of each member business, examining door widths, aisle widths, and counter heights. The BIA is providing free ramps and an accessibility toolkit to stores, along with a readiness checklist covering signage, entrance barriers, display arrangement, and staff awareness training.

"One of the important things of the accessibility and visitor engagement strategy is that it isn't just for the 11 days of the event, but it's the legacy it provides," Cox said. The BIA is also partnering with Wheelchair Basketball Canada and event organizers for in-game sponsorship, with visibility to local businesses on the scoreboard to encourage participants to explore dining and retail options beyond Lansdowne Park.

Cox said hosting major international events like this underscores the value of having a sports and entertainment district downtown. "I think, considering all of the challenges over the last couple of years with Lansdowne 2.0, this really shows the importance of having a sports and entertainment district right in the heart of downtown," he said.