YELLOWKNIFE (March 20, 2006) -  A Sod Turning Ceremony was held on March 14, 2006 to celebrate the initial step in the construction of a new 8-plex building specifically designed for persons with disabilities.  The building will be on 53^rd Street in Yellowknife .

The Honourable David Krutko, Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Bill Burles and Don Gillis, Directors for the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities participated in the symbolic soil turning.

Minister Krutko, Jeff Anderson, Acting President of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert Hawkins, MLA for Yellowknife Centre and Mr. Don Gillis spoke to the occasion.     

The North Slave District Office of the Corporation, under the leadership of Mr. Larry Jones, District Director, is managing the project and was instrumental in bringing together interested stakeholders who shared a common vision to increase the availability of affordable, suitable and adequate housing for persons with disabilities.   This new building meets these criteria.

The NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the Wheelchair Society of Canada, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Yellowknife Housing Authority, physiotherapy specialists at Stanton Territorial Hospital, as well as the many individual contributions are fundamental components for the success of this project.  The building is designed by FSC Architects and Engineers. New Age Construction Ltd. was awarded the construction contract.  The building is expected to be ready for occupancy towards the end of October 2006.

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is focused on providing affordable, suitable and adequate housing for the residents of the Northwest Territories.  The addition of the 8-plex will bring the total number of public housing units modified for persons with disabilities to eighteen in Yellowknife.

  Artistic Rendering

KEY FEATURES

YELLOWKNIFE 8-PLEX FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

FIRE PROTECTION, SAFETY, ACCESS and COMFORT

• Visual fire alarms for hearing impaired
• Fire sprinklers
• Emergency lighting in bathrooms and elsewhere
• High contrast color scheme to aid visually impaired
• Common areas on each floor are divided into two with a fire rated door - in the event of a fire tenants can move into a safe area, until rescued 
• Day areas (shared lounges) and deck for easily accessible spaces
• Non-standard outlet and switch location for universal accessibility
• Elevator is not just suitable for barrier free accessibility but is a full barrier free accessible passenger elevator suitable for moving furniture etc.
• Parking area allows for options when persons with disabilities enter and exit vehicles with ramps or lifts, and the front entry is covered
• Access to garbage bin, from the inside through a small door, things can go directly into the dumpster

INDIVIDUAL UNITS

• Integral floor between shower and other washroom areas, sloped to drain.
• Birch wainscot in living areas for easy location/relocation of grab-bars and as wall protection from wheelchairs or other mobility aids
• Barrier free lavatories
• Barrier free kitchen sink
• Tempering valves on all plumbing fixtures - prevents scalding
• Tilt mirror over kitchen range
• Scooter parking and recharging area within each suite
• Some of the kitchen cabinets in each suite are adjustable in height, to meet individual needs
• The bathrooms are designed and sized for two people.  Tenant may need assistance or need room to do transfer from one support to another
• Bathroom walls are reinforced to allow custom grab bar placement
• Toilet can be rotated 90 degrees for a left or right side approach and it is one piece as this aids when the fixture is used to bear weight during transfers
• Non slip shower floor.
• Reinforced ceiling - allows a track from bed to the bathroom if required
• Combination washing machine and dryer (no moving of wet clothes from one appliance to another).

BUILDING AREAS

Three story - wood frame, on concrete foundation located on 53^rd street, across the street from the Victorian Apartments and next door to the Dorset Apartments.

Gross Area Main Floor = 361.57 m2

Gross Area 2nd Floor = 368.93 m2 

Gross Area 3rd Floor = 368.93 m2

Total Gross Area = 1099.43 m2

Gross Area per suite = 93.35 m2

2nd and 3rd Floor Common Room (includes the circulation area in front of 2 of the 3 suites per floor) = 34.87 m2 (each)

2nd Floor exterior deck = 43.4 m2 (privacy and away from the street level)

Main Floor Lobby including the Vestibule = 34.87 m2

Minister David Krutko, Larry Jones, North Slave District Director and representatives of the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities, Cecile Hewitt, Don Gillis and Bill Burles engage in the symbolic sod turning

Yellowknife Mayor Gordon Van Tighem, Minister David Krutko and Sandra Turner, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in conversation.

Foreground - Milt Pittman, Technical Advisor, North Slave District Office and Bill Burles, Director, NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities view building plans

Cecily Hewitt, Bill Burles and Kelly McCarthy pictured in front of the building plans

Minister David Krutko speaks to the occasion.
Also pictured is District Director Larry Jones, Acting President of the NWT Housing Corporation Jeff Anderson, Clarence Emberley and MLA Bill Braden.

Jeff Anderson, Acting President of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation speaking at the event

Mr. Don Gillis, Director, representing the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities at the event