An 8-unit Newfoundland and Labrador Housing residence recently constructed on Froude Avenue in St. John’s has been officially certified through the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Program.

The minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, John Abbott, recently visited a family in the building and heard first-hand about the difference its design features is having on the lives of residents.

The program is a national rating system which helps to measure the accessibility of buildings and sites based on the principles of universal design.

The building includes features like ‘no step’ level entrances, front door landings and rear decks with enough room to turn around, widened hallways and interior and exterior doors, lowered casement window, lever-type door handles, lower kitchen counters and sinks, grab bars and pull handles on cabinets and drawers.