University of Prince Edward Island announces long-term commitment to inclusion and accessibility on campus
The University of Prince Edward Island is committed to enhancing inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities through a multi-year project that will see improved exterior and interior access to buildings and facilities on campus.
University officials launched the “Plan For Inclusion: A Response to the UPEI Accessibility Audit” at an event in the Duffy Science Centre on Monday, December 3. The event was held in conjunction with the annual International Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 3, first proclaimed by the United Nations in 1992.
The plan was developed by the UPEI Access-Ability Committee as the result of an accessibility audit of the campus carried out in December 2006 and January 2007 by the architectural firm Sperry & Partners Ltd., of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The audit covers the main UPEI campus, including academic and service buildings and residences.
Wade MacLauchlan, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI, praised the committee for its work.
“The UPEI Access-Ability Committee has produced a very fine piece of work in this comprehensive audit,” says MacLauchlan. “We owe a great debt of gratitude to committee chair Joanne McCabe and the entire team who produced this report and developed the multi-year commitments that we undertake today.”
Committee member Paul Cudmore, a UPEI student who uses a wheelchair, is pleased with the university’s commitment to improving the campus for people who have disabilities.
"The physical accessibility and culture of inclusion at UPEI provides a great atmosphere for people with disabilities to pursue their post-secondary goals,” he says.
Under the plan, which will be implemented over seven years, all new construction and major upgrading projects on campus, including buildings, parking areas, pedestrian routes, adaptive technology and other services, will meet or exceed barrier-free and universal guidelines.
Funding for the plan will come from UPEI’s capital budget, and will cover ongoing maintenance of accessibility-related upgrades and repairs, and continued disability awareness training for UPEI faculty and staff, as well as the actual improvements.
Improvements will include better lighting and signage, particularly for barrier-free entrances; replacement of the ramp in Memorial Hall; installation of automatic door openers where needed; designation of wheelchair spaces in teaching rooms; installation of assistive hearing systems in auditoriums and classrooms; renovation of non-accessible washrooms; and the continued replacement of door knobs with lever handles.
Significant improvements have already been put in place under the plan, including construction of a new outdoor ramp and accessible door to Dalton Hall; the addition of 11 new parking spots for people with disabilities; replacement of door knobs with lever handles in some high-traffic areas; and putting accessible desks in all accessible teaching classrooms.
