Ottawa's Byward Market is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, with plenty of places to shop, eat and browse – that is, unless you're a person with a disability.

The population of people with a declared physical disability in Ottawa is growing from its current level of about 20 per cent, with Ontario rules mandating all areas of society be accessible by 2025.

The owner of Ottawa's downtown Hard Rock Café said he's not waiting until then to make upgrades to his building.

"It certainly isn't expensive, it's an easy way to make it accessible to people," said Tom Frankish. "It's good for us and good for them."

Many of the heritage buildings in the market aren't wheelchair-friendly, including that of the Byward Market BIA.

"We're stuck between a rock and a hard place," said Jasna Jennings.

"Ours is just one step and we try to help out as much as we can," said Peter Elmarji of Oh So Good desserts and coffee house.

New buildings are required to be accessible, but those heritage buildings aren't covered by that legislation.

"There's physically no space to be installing ramps and things of that nature," Jennings said. "It's not for a lack of willingness or want, but how it can be done."

Testing out accessibility

CTV Ottawa recently travelled the market with three people in wheelchairs to find out the accessibility of some of its buildings.

Ryan Lythall said he spent the first 19 years of his life at CHEO and at age 37 is living with muscular dystrophy.

He was given a hidden camera as he went around the market to see what kind of service a seemingly normal person in a wheelchair could get.

People were holding the door for him at a coffee shop, but there was no "automatic open" button in case he was alone.

Another building had no open button and no elevator to get up and down the stairs, with a convenience store he visited inaccessible because of a step out front.

"Tell people to get some manners, help someone out in a wheelchair," said Glen Forrester, who also uses a wheelchair. "Tell them to open the door for them."

Carl Nagle also uses a wheelchair and said he understands why every building owner doesn't pay to upgrade their entrances right away.

"Most of those businesses don't need that, they don't have enough customers in wheelchairs to need all that," he said.

Nagle said there is one place he wishes he could go – the Bare Fax strip club.

"We want to go upstairs and see the ladies," he said, laughing. "Put an elevator in there for us."

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr

Tuesday: Part Two of our special series examines how to get around the Byward Market for people who are blind or deaf.