The Carleton Disability Awareness Centre (CDAC) has breathed new life into its space to provide a more welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
A photo of the centre shared on the CDAC’s Facebook page at the end of June announced that updates to the centre were in progress.
According to Céline Brown MacDonald, CDAC’s administrative co-ordinator, renovations began in May and included de-cluttering the centre, repainting the walls, and adding a chalkboard wall.
Brown MacDonald said in an email that the goal of the renovations is to provide a more accessible space for students with disabilities.
“By creating a more open concept, students who use mobile devices (devices that help with mobility) will be able to move around more freely. Adding height to our couch will allow students to easily transfer onto it. By toning down our bright yellow walls to grey, mounting office decor and moving our furniture away from the view of the hallway, students with anxiety can use our space to relax,” she said.
Alexis Oundo, Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) vice-president (student services), said she agreed that the changes, no matter how small, would improve the centre’s accessibility.
Oundo added that each of CUSA’s 11 service centres receive a budget for renovations on a “centre-by-centre basis.”
“We don’t renovate every month or every year. It pops up every so often,” she said.
According to Brown MacDonald, adding a TV monitor to the space will allow students to stream lectures, watch the Paralympics or the news, and play video games to de-stress.
According to Oundo, CDAC’s summer renovations won’t cost more than $100 in total.
“Because these were already things that were within our reach, we didn’t have to extend the budget,” she said.
According to Brown MacDonald, the centre coordinated with CUSA to get second-hand furniture and leftover paint for free, while friends helped with some of the labour and donated other items.
“As of right now, the changes have cost the centre nothing,” she said.
Brown MacDonald said the updates have already increased the number of visitors to the CDAC, something she hopes will continue when the school year starts again in September.
Oundo added that changes to the centre are continuing and the improvements will continue to draw attention to the diverse needs of disabled students.
“It’s my hope that a student walking by can feel welcome and invited,” Oundo said.
Photo by Meagan Casalino
