Queen’s University will be well represented at the City of Kingston’s Celebrating Accessibility Awards ceremony on Dec. 1.

Five of the 28 nominees for the awards come from the Queen’s community. The awards recognize the people and organizations that make Kingston more accessible and inclusive.

“I would like to congratulate the individual nominees as well as the teams behind the nominated projects,” says Yvonne Holland, Director, Queen’s Campus Planning and Development. “The impact of Queen’s accessibility champions often extends beyond the boundaries of the university community, and I am pleased that the City of Kingston is recognizing their important contributions.”

The Queen’s nominees for Celebrating Accessibility Awards include:

Built Environment

Duncan McArthur Hall – Recent accessibility improvements mean people with disabilities can now use parking spaces at the front of the building, cross the street and access the sidewalk, sit with someone at a bench or picnic table, and access the front entrance of the building in an independent, dignified, and equitable manner.

Richardson Stadium – The revitalized facility incorporates numerous accessibility features including a fully accessible concourse, accessible seating throughout the stadium, and accessible VIP/sponsor boxes. 

Education

Laura Elizabeth Harrison (OT’15) – Ms. Harrison helped create an online assistive technology resource for teachers in the Limestone District School Board. As an occupational therapist, she offers a variety of tips and techniques to help students of all abilities learn and thrive.

James McNutt (M.Ed.’16) – Mr. McNutt is working to make Queen’s campus more accessible for persons with disabilities. He carried out the “Video Accessibility Audit Project” in order to heighten awareness of inclusivity and accessibility on campus. 

Heidi Penning – Ms. Penning has worked to build an accessible and inclusive campus community over the past seven years as an equity adviser in Queen’s Equity Office. A past chair of the City of Kingston’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, Ms. Penning has also worked with organizations such as Autism Ontario and Community Living Ontario to enhance physical accessibility and accessibility for people with cognitive/developmental disabilities in the school system and in the community.

The public ceremony will take place inside Memorial Hall at Kingston City Hall on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 1-3 pm. Visit the City of Kingston website for the complete list of nominees.