THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF PORT COQUITLAM c 0 UJ N ( | [

OCT 25 1982

Mayor and Council October 20th, 1982.

Alderman G.R. Laking and
Alderman M.D. Gates

Report on access to City Hall for the Handicapped

We met first with the Surrey Access for All Group who came to Port Coquitlam to
look over the facilities within the hall and parking area with access to the hall
for the handicapped. First they recommended that the parking stall on the south
side of Shaughnessy Street immediately east of the bus stop be designated as a
parking spot for the handicapped and a ramp be put up of blacktop from the road
to the height of the sidewalk so that wheelchairs would have access. Secondly
they looked at our new ramp into the hall and thought that it was excellent.
Thirdly, they looked at the washroom facilities within the hall and recommended
that the men's room on the lower floor be changed - the urinal taken out and a
different catch be put on the door - and the bars be put in the stall for the
men's toilet and this would give the handicap access. This does create some
problems in the fact that at the present time we are below the health standard
for washroom facilities in the hall and secondly, they indicated that if we did
not have a handicapped employee it may not be necessary at this time to undertake
this work. Fourthly, we met with Garaventa Canada Limited to discuss access from
the lower floor to the upper floor regarding a lift that would go around corners
Garaventa measured it and gave us a price of $22,194.00 which would include new
hand railing from the lower floor right up to the upper floor. This facility is
a platform that when not in use folds against the wall when you wish to use it

it is let down and the wheelchairs are put onto to it and the attachment. holds
them steady and will not fall off. It takes about one minute to climb from the
lower floor.to the upper floor. This is an excellent lift and we would suggest
to Council that they put this in the Provisional Budget in the intexm we will
investigate the need for such a facility within the Community and also whether
there are any grants that could assist us in the installation. Through the

day this will work exceptionally well, regarding Council meetings we would
possibly have problems, that any person in a wheelchair would either have to
Phone in ahead and let us know or have someone with them that would come into

the hall and let us know so that we could open the door downstairs in the
Engineering Department; let them in and then they could come upstairs in the lift.
As you know we cannot during Council meetings leave the doors to the Engineering
Department wide open so that anyone could walk in and out as there are a great
many files there that we cannot leave unprotected.