Ottawa Airport photo taken Airside looking back at the terminal from the runway area during daytime
Development of Standards, Guidelines and Checklists
Accessibility Simplified can work with your organization to develop accessibility standards or guidelines to help guide future development work for future buildings, parks & trails, PROW infrastructure or active transportation infrastructure.
Accessibility Simplified can work with your organization to develop compliance and audit checklists based on a full range of building codes, standards and guidelines.
Accessibility Simplified also has experience working with larger project teams to ensure that accessibility is addressed within Guidelines, Manuals and Standards that have a focus other than accessibility - but which also must address accessibility within its guidance.
Case Study - Universal Accessibility Best Practices
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of ensuring the renewal of the Parliamentary Precinct not only meets but exceeds the current minimum standards for accessibility. The Universal Accessibility Strategy and Action Plan (the Strategy) was developed to ensure that renewal activities within the Parliamentary Precinct go above and beyond to address accessibility in a holistic manner.
Working as part of the NORR DIALOG JV team, a comprehensive Background and Benchmarking Report was completed to drive the compilation of UA best practices and the development of the UA Monitoring Tool. Research included an analysis of 74 documents within seven categories;
· National sources (6 documents);
· Provincial and Territorial Sources (14 documents);
· Departmental sources (7 documents);
· Other Canadian Sources and Best Practices (7 documents);
· International Sources and Best Practices (25 documents); and;
· Heritage Sources and Best Practices. (5 documents)
The goal of the research was to identify sources and best practices that embrace Universal Accessibility concepts and strategies, instead of simply being an accessibility code.
These UABP requirements, when implemented together, can result in a building that goes ‘above and beyond’ what is required by all mandatory codes and standards. No existing code includes all the UA requirements that have been compiled as part of the Universal Accessibility Strategy and Action Plan. The best practices were compiled from Canadian and international sources and identify the very best practices for UA, resulting in the most universally accessible facilities.
They have been conducted for projects related to
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new design/build projects
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projects undergoing substantial renovation
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for the development of audit checklists
Case Study: Active Transportation
Marnie Peters worked with WSP and Alta Planning + Design on the redevelopment and update to the Ontario Traffic Manual - Book 18: Cycling Infrastructure manual to ensure that accessibility and universal design are fully considered and addressed for all cycling infrastructure guidelines being presented through the Manual.
Compliance with the AODA - Design of Public Spaces is also being addressed not only for urban infrastructure, but also for trails and other rural infrastructure.
Similarly, Marnie worked with Alta Planning + Design to develop the City of Ottawa Protected Intersection Design Guide (PIDG) that fully addresses accessibility within the development of cycling facilities and complex intersections impacting pedestrian safety and vehicular movement.
Case Study - Standard | Built Environment
Working as part of the GAATES project teams, provision of extensive research, writing and editing services for the development of built environment standards that covered exterior (parking, access route) through interior design elements, (incl. queuing, ticketing, washrooms, signage, wayfinding, etc.) for the Guidelines on the Provision of Counter Service for a client in the Arab Region.
Case Study - Checklist |Built Environment
Marnie managed the On Thin Ice Project, a three year project to address the emergency preparedness needs of persons with disabilities living in Canada’s far North.
Work included the development of a Facilities Accessibility Checklist based on the National Building Code of Canda, and the CSA B651 Accessibility of the built environment standard, to guide the Territorial Governments and the cities and communities across the North with making their community facilities more accessible.
Case Study - Guidelines | Emergency & Disaster Preparedness
Working as part of the GAATES project team on projects for the Asia Pacific Disaster Center (APDC) and the Asian Broadcast Union (ABU), provided extensive research, writing and editing services for the development of the Guidelines on Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: Disabilities and Disasters and Guidelines on Accessible Early Warning Broadcasts respectively.