Started the day on wednesday by going to Burnaby city hall to have them take a look over the rough drawings for the construction of the ramp. Father had a binder full of engineering diagrams and explanations but ran into a junior clerk who was more interested in telling us what he knew then acutally answering questions. Numerous occasions of him making a point and us bringing to his attention that we had just tried to discuss that and he was too busy talking to listen. Add to that inane applications of the building code. For example, since a ramp falls into the residential construction section of the building code each 6 x 6 post must be supported by a concrete footing 26 inches by 26 inches and 4 inches thick buried 18 inches into the ground. This post must then be surrounded by concrete to a height of 8 inches above the ground. So a width of 52 inches of concrete, a veritable sidewalk under ground to support a ramp 36 inches wide. Did I mention there are 8 posts in the proposed design? Means a return to the drawing board. Of course all drawings must be submitted on paper 2 feet by 3 feet and etc., etc. etc. ....Frustrating. Writing this on saturday we're going to find another way to proceed. We thought of putting it off till next year and quietly building it but too much of an opportunity cost. Rain soaked steps and a wheelchair are a bad combination. On the absurdity of bylaws, the entire house sets 3.6 feet from the fence however new bylaws say any structure must be 4.9 feet from the fence - i.e. the ramp. Of course you can apply for a variance which is more paperwork...