Speeding up automatic doors tops CCSAI priority list
The Centennial College Student Association (CCSAI) has set its sights on Ashtonbee to help improve access to students with disabilities.
The CCSAI held their monthly meeting last night at the CCC campus where they voted on proposals for the Transforming the Future (TTF) fund. One proposal asked funding for improved wheelchair-access doors for the Ashtonbee campus. Members unanimously voted the issue to be considered priority.
“It creates a traffic problem,” said Melissa Miller, Ashtonbee representative for the CCSAI in regards to the time it takes for the doors to open automatically. “A lot of classes break at the same time and having to wait for these doors (to open) creates a traffic problem.”
The TTF fund was created in 2006 for capital projects with the goal of having a positive impact on as many students as possible. CCSAI members consider and vote on each proposal based primarily on its positive impact for the greatest number of students, as well as its financial viability. The doors are there for people with disabilities, but are frequently used by others.
“It’s an access issue,” said Vishwash Amin, CCSAI initiatives assistant. “Facilities say that they have adjusted all the doors and they should take 40 to 60 seconds to open.”
Many feel that the doors are still too slow. Miller says that she will continue to push for faster automatic doors because it is a major issue for the accessibility of students with disabilities.
“The doors are pretty outdated,” she said. “They take too long to open.”
Exactly how the money will be spent to improve these doors will be discussed in future meetings.
“If there are any doors that open slower (than the allotted time), then (facilities) should be contacted,” said Amin.
Other proposals for the fund were also voted for at the meeting, but were not given top priority. One was to enforce smoking bans in designated areas.
“This comes from the Ashtonbee campus, but affects all campuses,” said Amin.
He said that the Student Association would be sure to push the issue further in the future.
The CCSAI also voted on proposals for the green fee fund, which is an initiative to make the college more environmentally friendly. Proposals included solar panels to provide electricity, compost to reduce waste and motion-detector lighting systems to reduce waste of electricity.
