Commercial Builds

Rick Hansen was in St. John’s on behalf of the Rick Hansen Foundation to present awards to Husky Energy and East Port Properties as the first in Newfoundland and Labrador building to achieve the Accessibility Certified Gold rating. The tenants, building owners and managers worked together to create real change. Husky and 351 Water St were encouraged to have their sites rated for accessibility through a challenge led by the BOMA Canada (Building Owners and Managers Association Canada). Owned by TD Greystone Managed Investments and managed by East Port Properties Ltd., 351 Water St. provided improved accessibility within the building, which benefited over 555 people who work there each day as well as many visitors. Accessibility Features include use of natural lighting, doors with power operators on them, ergonomic workstations, various seating arrangements and more.

Guests that require accessibility features have a more difficult time finding a hotel that meets their needs. The Marriott in Ottawa, Ontario believes all guests should be able to travel at ease and have designed their hotel to be accessible to all. Beyond the rooms, this hotel has designed their common areas and created special services for those who require help. Their business center, fitness center, pool, entrances and front desk were all designed with these features. Depending on what their guest requires, they have different rooms to meet different needs. The Marriott in Ottawa continually works to improve their accessibility based off of the Rick Hansen Foundation’s guidelines.

Rental properties, shops, office space and access to public transit are just some of the key features offered at Marine Gateway in South Vancouver. This area was built as an all in one service area, where people can live, work and enjoy the services provided. Three years after opening, the property manager wanted to do something bigger and better. Laura Malley wanted to ensure this area of Vancouver could serve the entirety of the population including those who require various accessible features. With assistance from the RHFAC program, Laura enlisted the help of trained professionals to determine the level of meaningful access of the buildings while considering all aspects of an individual’s experience in this space. After the rating process, Marine Gateway was awarded with the RHF Accessibility Certified Gold and has advertised their features ever since. Laura Malley and her team have worked to continually improve their buildings and promote accessibility awareness as a human right.