New West has struck gold at təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre.
The City of New Westminster’s newest civic facility has achieved a RHF Accessibility Certified Gold rating under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ program – becoming the first facility in New Westminster to received gold certification. In a news release, the city said that the Gold rating – the result of achieving a rating score of 84 per cent, affirms the principles of inclusive design and meaningful accessibility that were core aspects of the facility’s planning and detailing.
“Receiving the Rick Hansen Foundation Gold accessibility certification is a significant achievement for təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre,” said Mayor Patrick Johnstone. “This certification underscores our commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive space where everyone in our community, regardless of ability, can gather, connect, and fully enjoy the many programs and activities our facility offers.”
The Rick Hansen Foundation was established in 1988, following the completion of Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion World Tour. The foundation works to raise awareness, change attitudes, and remove barriers for people with disabilities.
Accessibility certification through the Rick Hansen Foundation aims to provide organizations with an understanding of their overall level of meaningful access in the built environment, based on the holistic user experience of people with varying disabilities affecting their mobility, vision, and hearing. More than 1,750 sites across Canada have been rated through the program.
“Congratulations to the City of New Westminster and the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre for your commitment to prioritizing meaningful access as one of the core design principles for this state-of-the-art project,” Brad McCannell, vice-president of access and inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation, said in a press release. “New Westminster’s leadership will not only directly benefit your community but clearly demonstrate the path forward for others striving for the inclusion of people of all ages and abilities as both visitors and employees in their projects.”
According to the city, a broad range of accessibility features led to təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre’s gold rating, including:
- expanded access aisles for accessible parking stalls, HandyDART and accessible drop-off
- wide circulation space
- high-contrast way-finding signage that includes braille and tactile directories
- fully universal washrooms with adult change tables and lift devices
- ramps and zero-entry conditions into the leisure and family hot pools, as well as a transfer ledge in the adult hot pool and moveable floor in the 50-metre pool
- pool change rooms offer options for all-genders as well as dedicated male and female spaces
- extensive acoustic panelling throughout to improve sensory experience
- hearing loop and sound field technology
- low flow sensory friendly hand dryers
- second level elevator access to community spaces and fitness centres
Johnstone said the gold certification is the result of a lot of early planning about accessibility features to be included in the facility and involving people at every step of the process. Part of that included a visit to Anvil Centre by members of the city’s accessibility committee, where accessibility features were added later, and discussions about how it would be more effective to plan accessibility at the beginning of the process.
“It's really great to hear that it's got that certification, and we changed a little bit of the way about how we design accessibility into city buildings,” he said at Monday’s council meeting. “I think that's a really proud moment for city.”
The new 10,644 square metre (114,571 square foot) təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre is the City of New Westminster’s largest capital project to date.
