Providence has been awarded federal funding towards its ongoing accessibility development. The availability of $9,393 was confirmed by the office of Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher, late last month.
As part of its plans to make the Otterburne campus barrier-free, Providence retained the services of Ager Little Architects and Grant Design Group to perform an accessibility audit in the spring of 2017, the results of which were delivered in December. The federal funding will be used to install accessibility swing door operators and push plates and to relocate and connect new wiring to the fire alarm system.
An overall cost estimate is not available, although the majority of the resources for this project will be provided by the IMPACT 2020 campaign. Providence is looking forward to making the Otterburne campus accessible to all.
“Our main administration and teaching facility, the Hanna Centre, was constructed nearly a century ago,” explains Dan McLeod, Director of Facilities and a member of The Providence Campus Redevelopment Committee. Structurally the building is solid, however we are faced with challenges in dealing with stairs and multi-level hallways.”
McLeod says a series of accessible doors through Heritage Hall, which connects the library to the Hanna Centre, are already being installed.
“Providence is firmly committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and accessibility in our programs and employment opportunities,” he says. “We believe in the inherent dignity of all people, and we are committed to identifying and removing barriers that prevent full and meaningful participation in all aspects of campus life.”
