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North Delta library washrooms now completely accessible

Accessibility renovations were completed in January, but had been missing bathroom push buttons
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Push buttons have been installed for the George Mackie Library washrooms, after residents took to the city to complain. (Grace Kennedy photo)

Wheelchair users will now be able to use the bathrooms at the George Mackie Library without help, after the City of Delta installed accessible push buttons for the doors.

In January, the city completed a year of accessibility renovations for the 35-year-old library. The renovations included a redesigned entrance, upgraded ramps and a redesign of the bathroom interiors. Notably, it did not include buttons to open the bathroom doors.

RELATED: Accessibility improvements at North Delta’s George Mackie Library don’t go far enough, says resident

At the time, Delta manager of corporate policy Bernita Iversen said the budget for the renovations wouldn’t have covered the installation of the buttons. She added that it was possible those buttons could be included in future upgrades, but that there would need to be a budget to roll them out across the city.

Several residents contacted the city about the lack of accessibility for the restrooms, with a number mentioning the issue at the library’s open house in January.

“We’d had a lot of comments on the need for that push button on the washroom, so they decided to go ahead with that, just at that one location,” Iversen said.

The installation was easier than expected, Iversen said, because there was already wiring by the bathrooms that the buttons could use.

The cost of the installation was about $7,000.



grace.kennedy@northdeltareporter.com

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