Paraplegic group lauds Halifax mall management for support during renos
20Vic, the company managing the mall, hired 6 staff to help during parkade renovations
The Canadian Paraplegic Association of Nova Scotia is praising the managers of a Halifax mall for their efforts to accommodate people with mobility disabilities during construction of a new parkade.
"I think that this is an excellent solution because, the reality is, the construction has to happen," said Nancy Beaton, the executive director of the Canadian Paraplegic Association.
The Halifax Shopping Centre is tearing down the 300-space parking lot and underground parkade at its west-end annex.
That means patrons at the Mumford Road Professional Centre will have to walk roughly 100 metres farther to reach some offices within the mall, including the Dalhousie Family Medicine Centre and the paraplegic association's offices.
6 staff hired to help
20 Vic, the company that manages the mall, has hired six staff members to help members of the public reach appointments, and will provide wheelchairs and walkers to anyone who needs them.
"When someone is using a manual wheelchair, going from tile to carpet can be a challenge," Beaton said. "And to have to go that distance inside the building, a good part of it carpeting, would be a challenge."
Patrons can also phone 902-497-9276 to ask for assistance in the parking lot, including a drive from a lower parking lot behind the mall.
Beaton said this is a strong example of how to accommodate people living with mobility issues.
'Better for everyone'
"If that kind of support in there then most people are willing to ride out any kind of changes that are needing to happen in order to make it better for everyone," she said.
The Mumford Professional Centre's parkade holds about 150 vehicles at street level, and another 150 underground.
The upper level was already subject to weight restrictions since before the Ontario Pension Fund purchased the building in 2010.
The $8-million dollar demolition and reconstruction project is expected to be completed by late November.
"You need for a parking structure a kind of a stretch of long, warm, dry weather. So this is the right time to do it," said Stephanie Schnare, 20 Vic's marketing director.