“This is huge! The fact that, if Erin were to come to campus, she could now access so many areas on campus and not worry about traffic and other hazards, is a huge thing for her and us.”
– Janet Kreiter, TWU Library staff
Over the past 24 months, TWU has invested over 1.1 million dollars into accessibility upgrades – improving buildings and enhancing locations throughout the Langley main campus.
The results are greater access and safety for students, staff, faculty and visitors.
Alumna Erin Kreiter noticed the difference
When Erin Kreiter first began working as a researcher at TWU alongside Dr. Rick Sawatzky, the Neufeld Science Centre had no electric doors.
Erin, who is a TWU alumna and a PhD candidate, is wheelchair dependent.
In very short order, Dr. Craig Montgomery from the Chemistry department worked to ensure that sliding doors were installed so that Erin could access the building.
Soon, the TWU Norma Marion Alloway Library made the same improvements, adding new sliding doors to its main entrance.
“Everything has to begin somewhere. That is wonderful.”
Significant improvements over the past 24 months
Since 2019, TWU has successfully completed a series of major projects that improve accessibility and safety for students, staff, faculty and visitors.
Highlights of campus improvements recently completed include:
- Mattson Centre, the first stop for many new and returning students looking to register for courses – Installation of automatic sliding doors
- Trinity Commons, a high-traffic hub in the heart of campus – Installation of automatic sliding doors for all three entrances
- Norma Marion Alloway Library – Installation of automatic sliding doors
- Reimer Student Centre, home of the Main Cafeteria, Trinity Western Outfitters (bookstore), Student Life offices and other service centres – Installation of automatic sliding doors
- Sidewalk improvements to eliminate tripping hazards
- TWUSA lounge and Douglas Hall – New concrete ramp leading to the building
- Jacobson Hall residence – Accessible exit, and remote control access to accessible suite
- Fraser Hall, Skidmore Hall, Reimer Student Centre and other campus roadways – Exterior lighting upgrades for enhanced night-time safety
Highlights of current and ongoing campus improvements include:
- Ensuring parking lots are easily accessible for wheelchairs and strollers – Added lighting to increase safety; Install drainage and asphalt for gravel lots
- Installation of an elevator on the exterior of Skidmore Hall – Ensuring residences on the 2nd and 3rd floor are accessible
- Replacement of older fixtures with LED fixtures – Creating better-lit environments, making navigation easier at night, and creating a safer campus, while also reducing lighting and electrical costs
- Installation of a wheelchair lift from the main floor of Vernon Strombeck Centre to the top floor classrooms – Allows wheelchair users to access the large classroom on the 2nd floor
- Renovation and refurbishment of The Well space – New furniture and additional partitions. This will allow The Well to serve more students. The Well is a space benefitting the mental well-being of students and staff, and can be part of the treatment for anxiety and depression.
Public bus route extended onto campus grounds
The TransLink BC community shuttle that travels throughout Langley now makes a stop within TWU’s campus. This means that commuters no longer need to venture onto the main road on foot in order to access public transit.
Erin’s mother Janet Kreiter works at the TWU Library. She expresses appreciation for the investment that TWU has made towards campus accessibility.
In particular, Janet is grateful for the new bus loop and accompanying sidewalks that have been installed.
“This is huge!” she said. “The fact that, if Erin were to come to campus, she could now access so many areas on campus and not worry about traffic and other hazards, is a huge thing for her and us.”
‘That is wonderful.’
Janet is grateful that the leadership, staff and faculty at TWU are making accessibility a greater priority. “The campus is older and was not built with accessibility in mind in 1962,” she reflected.
Yet, with all the changes that are being made now, Janet is hopeful. “Everything has to begin somewhere. That is wonderful,” she said.
This summer, Janet and her family were able to fulfill their dream of opening “Langley’s first accessible and inclusive garden” through a non-profit organization that they established, Opportunity Landing, and using land loaned to them by TWU.
See also — TWU undergoes largest comprehensive renovation project in University’s history:
TWU News
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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