Evaluating Accessibility: A Report on Casa Loma Campus Facilities

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the accessibility features at the Casa Loma campus, focusing on how well the campus meets the needs of individuals with disabilities. It examines various aspects of the campus infrastructure, including pavement plans, signage, building entrances, toilet rooms, and other facilities, to identify both existing accommodations and potential barriers. The report highlights the campus's efforts to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and international building standards, such as providing wheelchair access, accessible entrances, and universal toilet rooms. It also discusses the placement of resting furniture, drinking fountains, telephone booths, and curb ramps, evaluating their effectiveness in ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students. The conclusion emphasizes the overall accessibility of the campus, while suggesting areas for improvement to further enhance the experience for persons with disabilities. The report references multiple sources to support its findings, demonstrating a commitment to evidence-based analysis.

Running head: ACCESSIBILTY OF THE CASA LOMA CAMPUS
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Accessibility of the Casa Loma Campus
Name
Institution

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Introduction
While Casa Loma campus can be said to have the best learning infrastructure in the region, the
adaptation of new building technologies that seek to meet inclusivity for all the students must be
fully adopted in compliance with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). For
this to be achieved, all the structures should meet accessible design standards that create an
environment suitable for all the people regardless of age or physical condition. In addition,
accessible building designs must satisfactorily meet the standard needs of users with diverse
characteristics and as such the paper examines the accessibility of the Casa Loma campus for
persons with disabilities.
Accessibility of the Casa Loma Campus
There are many barriers that affect students with disability in Casa Loma campus; some of these
barriers include pavement plans, bollards, trees, traffic signs, and pavement furniture. However,
the campus has put provisions that help such student to adapt to their daily activities (Perry,
2018). For instance, all the obstructions in Bridgman Avenue and Kendall Avenue are easily
detected and there are placed along one continuous line, the design is very useful to the students
and staffs living with vision impairment. In addition, overhanging signs in all the avenues are
mounted at minimum height of 2 M in order for the sightless to pass safely, the overhanging
vegetation especially at the Dartnell Avenue are well maintained at the required minimum height
of 2 M (MacKay, 2016). Around the campus, all the garbage bins attached to lampposts are
placed in such a way that they do not face the pedestrian line flow to minimize possible collision
and they are painted with bright color to help people with limited vision to easily see them.

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All the stairs in C Building going to all the labs and the route that access second floor of E
building are supported by protective rails and others have raised curbs to help students with
disabilities (Rivano, 2014). Further, spaces below the ramps and the stairs in all the buildings are
completely blocked by protective rails and marked with tactile materials for safety reasons. All
the buildings have a wheel chair access point with Wheel Trans to help any person with walking
challenges to access any room. Finally, the textural changes along the footpaths in all the
avenues are useful in helping people with vision impairment to identify the locations with public
amenities (Hashim, 2019).
Resting furniture in the open areas is located in a way that allows free passage of all the people
without having challenges. There are level rest areas with seats are quite useful for students with
mobility challenges (Soltani, 2017). However, the campus management should ensure that the
resting facilities are placed in main circulation path, all recreational places, in front of all
accessible exits and entrances to enable people with disabilities and those who require regular
rests to be comfortable, in addition, the resting furniture should be at an interval period of 100
meters and close to toilet rooms and telephone booths.
On the drinking fountain spouts, the campus placed the spouts at an approximate height of 0ne
meter with each drinking fountain having two spouts placed at different heights, one an
approximate height of one meter for non-disabled community and the other one at an
approximate height of 0.8 meter for wheelchair users (Apanasik, 2013). The standards are in
compliance with the United Nations act on full participation and equality.
At the telephone booths around all the blocks, there are telephones that are accessible to persons
with hearing impairment and wheelchair users. Telephones for hearing impaired people are

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equipped with amplifiers and extra hearing aid devices, moreover, the location of such devices
are indicated by signs for easy location. On the other hand, a push-button telephone numbering
system having raised and rough letters that can be read by touch are used to help the sightless
users and people with similar disability (Baker, 2014). However the campus should place a
folding seat in all the telephone booths to help people with mobility challenges to rest, finally the
campus should redesign the telephone area to have a minimum obstructed area of 1.22m by 0.8
m in front of telephone booth to enable either frontal or parallel approach as shown in the sketch
below
John S. (2014) Morden Building Technique. Retrieved from http://sanchetibuilders.com/8-
modern-building-construction-techniques/
The campus has cub ramps placed at strategic locations where there are used in places with
raised levels of cross paths or pedestrian paths. In order to avoid confusion to the sightless
people, the ramps are positioned in a different location from the usual line of pedestrian flow
(Abott, 2016). The ramps are also placed in areas where there is little accumulation of water in
case it rains. The curb ramps are very helpful to all the people with vision impairment and as
such, the institution is certified by international building standards. Finally, all the curb ramps

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more so the flares are built with ground pattern or rough texture to make them less slippery and
easily detectable.
For all the buildings from B to building F, all the main entrances are accessible to ambulant
disabled person and there is at least one entrance in every building hat is accessible to wheelchair
users (Swain, 2013). In upcoming buildings in campus, the accessible entrances should be made
as the main entrances. All the accessible entrances in the multi-storey buildings are made I such
a way that they are conveniently located for easy access of lifts and elevators. Moreover, there
are international symbols of accessibility in all the entrances including other possible alternate
locations. Below is one of the international signs
John S. (2014) Morden Building Technique. Retrieved from http://sanchetibuilders.com/8-
modern-building-construction-techniques/
The toilet rooms in E building located on the lowest level of the building are well designed to
accommodate people living with disability. First, the rooms have turning circles of
approximately that allow easy and full-turn maneuvering of walking aid such as a wheelchair.

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Moreover, there is ease of transferring from wheel chair to the toilet bidet because the approach
used is diagonal and parallel approach. The rooms are well labeled with proper lighting system to
help those people with vision impairment have an easy access to the facilities.
At the universal toilet room in the E building, there is at least one compartment specifically
designed for the ambulant disabled person and at least one unisex compartment for people using
the wheelchair users. At the entrance of all the toilet rooms, there is an international symbol of
accessibility; however, the toilet rooms that are easily accessible have no signs. The rooms are
well labeled with proper lighting system to help those people with vision impairment have an
easy access to the facilities. However, the campus management should ensure that pivoted doors
open outward or enough space should be available in all the toilet stalls. Finally, all the flushing
points and toilet papers are placed within the reach that is the height between 0.4 M and 1.3 M.
In addition, the toilets and washrooms are designed for visual environment, the wall color; differ
with the counter and floor colors and other plumbing fixtures. The flash and faucets valves are
made with chrome or nickel to reduce glare. Finally, the lighting for restrooms covers all the area
uniformly including toilet stalls to minimize shadows and dark areas that may challenge vision
impaired people (Rahim, 2017).
Outside the toilets, there is accessible hand operated water taps located in convenient heights;
other accessories such as toilet paper dispensers, soaps, towels are placed within the
recommended height of 0.5M and 1.2M. All the wash basins are placed between 0.75m and
0.85m above the finished floor level to make for easier accessibility by all. Finally, the grab bars

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are installed close to water closet, showers, and bath-tubs to help people with disability to access
the facility easily and safely (Friedman,2014).
Light switches, switches, sockets, and visual alarm lights are installed at a height that is
accessible for operations, that is between 0.8 meter to 1.1 meter above the floor and it should be
located 0.6 meter from any internal corner. The designs are in such a way that, the gadgets can
be operated safely and independently by all the people including people with disabilities.
Moreover, the service desks in all the offices that have disabled persons are designed to make the
user comfortable, for instance, people who using wheelchair have their service desks designed to
accommodate the wheelchair.
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite one or two challenges identified, there is easy and safe accessibility for
persons living with disability in Casa Loma campus. The campus promotes the rights and
advancement in accordance with the standard rules and the convention on the Rights of Persons
living with Disability as well as the relevant human rights available in the surrounding
community. The measures adapted by the campus are very efficient and by all means they meet
international standards.

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