The Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre 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 cover the entire 56,000 square-foot building, including swimming pools, fitness area, meeting rooms, aerobics studio, and restaurant, as well as the outside area, including the entrances, parking lots, pathways, transit stops, and outdoor water play area.

“Once again, the City of Chilliwack shows its commitment to provide accessibility for everyone. The Chilliwack Leisure Landing Centre is truly an accessible facility, able to welcome everyone through the doors,” said Jim Ryan, the local Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Professional who completed the grading assessment of the leisure centre.

In order to receive Gold level rating, several accessibility improvements were implemented, including:

• The addition of a new fully accessible changeroom with a new lift and powered height adjustable shower bed.
• The upgrade of the existing accessible changeroom to include a new lift.
• The addition of new water wheelchairs.
• Automatic door openers with proximity sensors.
• Braille wayfinding signage and other new signage throughout the facility.
• The creation of an area of refuge, complete with emergency communications.
• The addition of hearing loops to meeting rooms.

“Since the inception of the Mayor’s Task Force on Inclusion, Diversity, and Accessibility Action Plan, we continue to work toward improving 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.”