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INUVIK - On Sunday morning, 19-year-old Mark Orbell was excited about meeting his buddies at Tonimoes restaurant for brunch. But because of the -40 C temperature, the hydraulic lift that usually carries him from his home's entrance to the ground didn't work.

So he was stuck at home.

Diehard Oilers fan Mark Orbell is shown in his room where he spends more time than he would like because of accessibility problems in the town. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

That's the place this 19-year-old diehard Oilers fan is restricted to much of the winter, where he lives with his parents and older brother.

Mark's been paralyzed since a car accident three years ago.

Making matters worse, Mark has a circulation ailment meaning he has trouble withstanding Inuvik's often brutally cold temperatures. But he's not one to complain or feel sorry for himself.

For example, he shrugs off the extra challenge of getting up in the morning.

"I just throw my legs over the side of the bed and get in," he said.

The aspiring Hockey Night in Canada commentator graduated from Samuel Hearne Secondary School last year. There he had to deal with an entrance ramp that was too steep for him to negotiate alone and times when the school's lift was broken.

He's frustrated that many Inuvik office and business owners aren't doing enough to make their premises accessible to him as well as other disabled and elderly residents.

"Just getting places and into buildings and moving around outside is the hardest thing, that's for sure," he said.

Because the Eskimo Inn doesn't have an entrance wheelchair ramp, he can no longer visit its popular restaurant with his buddies. Coincidentally, Premier Floyd Roland's office is located there too.

Mackenzie Road's Mack Travel building, which houses several government offices including the territorial courts, isn't equipped with enough ramps for him to get around comfortably.

Several businesses that do have ramps don't keep them properly maintained or clear of snow and ice.

The laid back teenager said he just wants to be more independent. The fact that he doesn't have access to reliable public transportation when he needs it make things even harder.

Both Mark and his mother Elizabeth Adams are working with fellow members of the local chapter of the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities and United Taxi owner Abdalla Mohamed to bring a Handi-van to the town. The proposal was presented to council for approval on March 9.

Town staff are researching the idea and council will likely make a decision on the matter at its next scheduled meeting on March 25.

The specially-designed van, complete with its own lift, could be on the road as early as the beginning of summer. Mark said he's eager to find work and believes the Handi-van will make it much easier to job hunt, giving him and other residents the freedom they deserve.

"It's not just for me," he said. "It will help out the other disabled and elderly people in this town so much."

Mayor Derek Lindsay said he supports the Handi-van and hopes to see the vehicle on the road soon.

He said the town has made accessibility for the disabled a priority. The community hall stage will be replaced soon, making it completely wheelchair accessible and the town wants to install automatic doors at the recreation complex's main entrance.

"We're trying to make accessibility a big issue," he said. "The funds are there. It's in the budget."