Since it’s soft launch in February 2015, the Student Learning Centre (SLC) has been the recipient of countless design awards and certifications, and has become an indication of Ryerson’s vibrant and innovative atmosphere.
But amidst all the high praise for the university’s newest addition, the building faces criticism for it’s lack of accessibility.
“The need to make changes has been ongoing since the day we opened,” said Susan Machado, building officer at the SLC.
After an article published by the Toronto Star in August highlighting the inaccessibility of the “hangout steps” outside the building, the SLC’s Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) team responded in a blog post with a number of changes they have been making to address concerns for students and staff with disabilities.
“Some of the accessibility features that were put in actually aren’t practical, and aren’t actually what students with disabilities want.”
“We felt we needed to speak up as well, and let the public know all the great things that we are doing, and how proactive we are in trying to meet accessibility needs of students in the building,” said Machado, whose role includes overlooking operational and administrative needs, including building enhancements.
Since the soft launch, over 10 changes have been made to improve overall accessibility within the building. These include installing a bright yellow pathway to the Student Learning Support (SLS) reception on the 4th floor, moving the height-adjustable desks to more accessible locations, and installing an automatic button on the bridge connecting the SLC and the library.
But for students who felt their needs were neglected during the building’s initial planning stages, these changes came too late.
“There wasn’t a lot of communication with students with disabilities as to what they would like to see in the space,” said Michelle Woolfrey, third year equity and diversity student. “As a result, some of the accessibility features that were put in actually aren’t practical, and aren’t actually what students with disabilities want or need in a space. Whereas if they had just asked, maybe they would’ve had the opportunity to make it as awesome as they could.”
Woolfrey is blind and usually has her guide dog, Thomson, alongside her. Otherwise, she uses a cane.
Perhaps the biggest piece of criticism was about the outdoor steps and ramp raised by David Lepofsky, head of Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The “hangout steps” encourage students to sit on the benches, with the ramp beneath their feet.
“For myself, I use a guide dog so I’m two people wide,” said Woolfrey. “So when I come in, I’m tripping over things, I’m constantly asking students to move out of my way, and it just isn’t a very conducive way to enter the building.”
This was also an issue raised by Kajan Vigneswaran, fourth-year business management student, and coordinator at RyeACCESS, who was “disappointed” with the amount of changes that needed to be made with the new building.
“It’s really important for people, everyone, all of us need to be invested when these buildings are made because it’s really hard to go back and fix things when they’re all already made,” he said.
“All of us need to be invested when these buildings are made because it’s really hard to go back and fix things when they’re all already made.”
Machado met with both Woolfrey, Vigneswaran and other members of the student engagement working group for students with disabilities to better understand what reasonable changes can be made to the building.
These suggestions turned into real changes, and it’s a great step in the right direction, agree both Woolfrey and Vigneswaran.
“Some of the things I’ve noticed is that they’ve actually done a lot of work with their roamers, which has been really great,” said Woolfrey, in reference to the SEAL team members in the yellow t-shirts. “They’ve done a lot of work in training them in accessibility and disability, and it’s actually been really fantastic.”
Another adjustment that both students had input on was the yellow rubber texture floor path installed on the fourth floor.
It was identified that when students with visual impairments get off the elevator, it was difficult to determine where the reception desk is located.
“For anyone with a visual impairment, it’s a green desk on a green background on a green floor, so it doesn’t stand out in any way,” said Woolfrey. “The yellow floor helps students find their way to the front desk.”
Both Machado and the students are happy with the change.
“I think it’s a great step. It really is. It speaks to Ryerson’s commitment to accessibility. I just wish that it could have been a little bit more proactive as opposed to reactive,” said Woolfrey.
The SLC has addressed several other concerns and plans to continue to make accessibility changes in the future.
The total cost incurred for the completed changes is approximately $2,500, according to Machado. This number discounts the amount paid by Ryerson’s Capital Projects and Real Estate (CPRE) and Campus Facilities & Sustainability, who worked in conjunction with the SLC on some of the projects.
“[These projects] are going to cost money, but we are all equal stakeholders, we all pay tuition just like any other minority group,” said Vigneswaran. “We all have to be accommodated. It’s 2016.”
But when asked if their friends with disabilities are going to the SLC more since the implementation of these changes, the answer was no.
“When speaking with a lot of my friends, it’s still a very overwhelming place to be. It’s a busy building, especially at this time of year. It’s swamped,” said Woolfrey.
“But there’s not really anything they can do about that, it’s what the space was built for,” she said.