Online petition organised to install lifts, ramps at St Vasilios Church in Brunswick West for elderly and disabled

A group of inner-city elderly and disabled mourners say they were left “humiliated” and “in tears” after they were unable to attend a wake at a church hall because of a lack of ramps.

Online petition organised to install lifts at St Vasilios church hall in Brunswick West. Picture: Google Maps.

Disabled and elderly mourners were left “humiliated” and “in tears” after they were unable to attend the wake of a loved one at a Melbourne church because if a lack of ramps and lifts.

Parishioners at St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church in Brunswick West are banding together to install a lift to access the church’s community hall after several elderly and disabled people were unable to attend a recent wake.

St Vasilios Church in Brunswick West lacks accessible infrastructure to get to the church hall. Picture: supplied.

Brunswick local and churchgoer Olympia Raptis, 49, who uses a frame to walk because of her severe sciatica, said she felt “horrid” and “humiliated” when she was unable to take the stairs of the church’s community hall to attend a family wake.

“I attempted to take one or two steps, and I was like no, this is embarrassing; everyone’s looking … people said they’ll carry me upstairs but I said no, too much pride,” she told the Herald Sun.

“I had to go back home and I bawled my eyes out for the whole day … being Greek Orthodox it’s a big thing to go back for the wake and I couldn’t do that. I was devastated and felt worthless.”

Churchgoers at St Vasilios Church in Brunswick West want lifts and ramps installed at the church hall for the elderly, disabled and parents with prams. Picture: supplied.

The steps at St Vasilios Church that lead to the church hall. Picture: supplied.

Along with Ms Raptis, several other mourners with crutches and mobility scooters were also forced to return home.

St Vasilios Church has a ramp at the front entrance but no ramps or lifts for worshippers to go up to the church hall, despite the church holding a seniors club there every week, forcing the elderly to tackle two flights of stairs.

The Seniors Club held every week at St Vasilios Church community hall in Brunswick West has seen a decline in enrolment as the elderly are unable to climb the stairs, Ms Raptis says. Picture: supplied.

An online petition urging authorities to install lifts at the church hall to make it more accessible for people with disabilities, mobility needs, and parents with prams has attracted more than 400 signatures with a target of 500.

The head priest of St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, Father Ephraim Kourtoglou, said the church was “aware and supportive” of the petition.

“Our church is working alongside Olympia Raptis, Merri-Bek Council and members of the community to participate in organising fundraising events, collecting donations and making the authorities aware of the lack of accessibility to our community hall,” he said.

“Unfortunately, as a non-profit organization we require the support of community members and have applied for a grant from Merri-Bek Council.”

Mr Kourtoglou said the church was working towards installing an elevator within “the next year or so, depending on when total funds raised can be met”.

Ms Raptis, who has lived in Brunswick West all her life, said there was a lack of accessible infrastructure not just at the St. Vasilios Church but throughout the suburb.

“It gets worse, especially when trying to walk on the footpath with a walker, the times I’ve nearly fallen … you try and go into certain shops but cannot because they have steps. A lot of people do not consider community members with a disability,” she said.

“When we are young, we don’t consider the needs of the disabled when opening a business. What about those who want to walk in with a wheelchair, a scooter, or some form of mobility aid.”

The Herald Sun understands a council disability planner is liasing with representatives of St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church to apply for a community grant.

A Merri-bek City Council spokeswoman said they “encouraged community members to submit applications for grants that they feel will benefit their community”.