Sacred Heart Catholic School was recognized by the City of Williams Lake this week for its efforts to improve accessibility in its building.
The school now has an elevator and a sensory room for children with autism.
Mayor Walt Cobb was at the school Monday, Nov. 9, when members of the city’s accessibility advisory committee presented acting principal Gary Mason with a certificate of recognition.
“A big thank you to Sacred Heart School. As Williams Lake is the home of Rick Hansen the more access we get in our town the better,” Cobb said.
The certificate was given in recognition and appreciation of the ‘vast accessible improvements you have made to your building and property. The installation of your chair lift and construction of you pathway will benefit many with mobility issues,’ said Linda Evans and Brenda Gordon as they presented it.
Both women are subcommittee members who judge the nominations.
Mason said he did not want to take any credit for the improvements as they had happened under former principal Shirley Giroux and existing senior special education assistant Debbie Reid.
“They created a room where children could advocate for themselves to go to and decompress,” he said.
“Debbie determined the funds she’d need and Shirley found the money.”
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Reid said the sensory room is only being used by primary students presently because of COVID-19 restrictions. The room has items such as a swing, a ball pen, trampoline and other attributes.
“We did put some supplies downstairs for older children that need to use them,” Reid added.
Accessibility committee chair Maureen Straza said the nomination came in a while ago, but due to COVID-19 it took a bit of time to get around to presenting the certificate.
Read more: Accessibility award of merit nominations open at city hall
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