Cheam Leisure Centre in Chilliwack has achieved a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Gold rating under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) program.

RHFAC helps improve accessibility in the places people live, work, learn, and play. The rating and Gold certification covers the entire 45,000 square-foot building, including the gymnasium, weight room, squash courts, change rooms, washrooms, meeting room, child minding room, swimming pools, and reception area. The outside area, including the entrances, parking lots, pathways, transit stops, and outdoor play area are also covered.

“Congratulations to the City of Chilliwack for achieving our Foundation’s Accessibility Certified Gold rating for the Cheam Leisure Centre. By committing to ensuring all municipal spaces are accessible, the 1 in 5 Canadians living with a disability will feel included in all aspects of their communities. I know Chilliwack’s leadership will inspire others to better understand how inclusive their buildings are and I look forward to the day when all municipalities make this a standard policy for all buildings,” said Rick Hansen, founder, Rick Hansen Foundation.

In order to receive Gold level rating, several accessibility improvements were needed to the Cheam Leisure Centre, including:

• The addition of four new automatic door openers.
• Added proximity sensors on existing door openers.
• Exterior large facility signage on side entrances.
• New concrete wheelchair letdown.
• The creation of two new fully accessible washrooms in the basement, with emergency assistance systems.
• Braille wayfinding signage.
• Creation of area of refuge, complete with communications in the gym area.

The Mayor’s Task Force on Inclusiveness, Diversity, and Accessibility (MTFIDA) was established in the spring of 2020 to provide advice to council on strategies to reduce social, physical and psychological barriers that prevent people from fully participating in all aspects of community life. In February 2021, the MTFIDA Action Plan was released with goals and action items to move towards those goals.

“One of the goals of the MTFIDA Action Plan is to improve the city’s facilities, services, parks, and public spaces for persons with disabilities,” said Mayor Popove. “This certification is a small step in the direction we want to go to make our facilities more accessible.”