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Philippine Showbiz Today
June 22 - July 7, 2018
Community News
Surrey Arts Centre: First public facility in BC
to receive a “Certified Gold” designation from
the Rick Hansen Foundation
Surrey, BC – The City of Surrey
announced today that the Surrey Arts
Centre is the first public facility in the
province to receive the Rick Hansen
Foundation
(RHF)
Accessibility
Certified Gold designation. The city
is also home to the most RHF-rated
public facilities of all municipalities in
Canada.
The RHF rating system, which
was designed to bring a national
accessibility standard to Canada, is
used to determine the accessibility of
commercial, institutional and multi-
family residential buildings.
“The City of Surrey believes
in providing equal opportunities
for all and we are proud to receive
the first RHF Accessibility Certified
Gold rating for a public space,”
said Mayor Linda Hepner. “This
certification reinforces our belief
and commitment that our innovative
programs ensure accessibility and
inclusion are considered in order to
inspire participation, create social
connections, and foster lifelong
learning.”
According to the Rick Hansen
Foundation, currently one in seven
Canadian adults identifies as having
some sort of disability, which may
include mobility, communication,
sensory, vision and/or hearing
challenges. With an aging population,
this is anticipated to increase to as
high as one in five Canadians by
2036.
Accessibility features at Surrey
Arts Centre include a lowered box
office counter, wayfinding signage
including directional arrows to
ramps, free use of wireless listening
devices for those who require hearing
amplification and VocalEye described
performances.
“Removing
barriers
and
ensuring accessibility to physical
surroundings, services and overall
experiences ensures that everyone
is able to fully participate in city
programs and services, including
important cultural opportunities,”
said Councillor Judy Villeneuve, chair,
City of Surrey Culture Development
Advisory Committee. “Fostering
community connections and having
open and accessible facilities is a
critical aspect of enjoying a high
quality of life.”
The Surrey Arts Centre, located
at 13750 88 Avenue, hosts live
performing arts presentations at
Surrey Civic Theatres Main Stage
and Studio theatres, and is home
to the Surrey Art Gallery and Surrey
International Children’s Festival.
It also features interactive public
artworks, art courses for all ages
and, in October, will host Surrey’s
Inclusive Employer Awards.●