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A Sensory, Barrier-Free Building |
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All RCH staff are fluent in the various
communication systems used by Tenants, enabling a communication
barrier free environment.
Living at RCH provides a sense of community.
Tenants provide support and friendship to one another,
enabling them to enjoy the advantages of full participation
in the community.
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RCH Tenants are active adults and seniors
who live independently in their apartments. They are responsible
for meals, financing, personal care and other skills used
to live independently.
The provision of Intervenor Services facilitates
tenant independence and provides opportunities for them
to obtain the knowledge to become self-advocates and participate
fully in the community.
As with any group of people, RCH's tenants
have varying levels of independence.
Tenants are provided with a monthly travel allowance
that enables them to travel throughout the city with their
Intervenors by car or by the Toronto Transit System.
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Vibrating
traffic signal
outsude RCH |
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Rotary Cheshire Homes has 16 one-bedroom
apartments.
Each has a living room, eat-in kitchen,
bedroom with a walk-in closet, and a four piece bathroom.
The apartments are also equipped with vertical
blinds, broadloom and individually controlled heating and
air conditioning.
Kitchens include full sized stoves with
self-cleaning ovens, frost-free refrigerators, double sinks
and shelves for microwaves.
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An RCH
kitchen layout
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The building has a roof-top terrace furnished
and planted by the Garden Club of Toronto. There is also
a BBQ which tenants can use at their leisure.
It is a comfortable place where tenants
can safely enjoy the great outdoors independent of an Intervenor.
Administrative offices and the On-Duty office
is found on the main floor of the building.
On the lower level of the building there are
storage lockers for each apartment, staff room and a large
social/meeting room with a fully equipped kitchen.
In addition, there is a fully accessible
computer for tenant use. The computer has Internet access,
a 21" monitor, ink jet printer, Braille embosser, refreshable
Braille display and Zoom Text software for screen magnification.
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Rooftop
Terrace maintained
by The Garden Club of Toronto
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Other Architectural Features |
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The
building incorporates many other design features that help
to eliminate the sensory barriers for persons who have a
hearing and vision loss.
These features include:
- a
tactile and visual Enterphone system allowing each Tenant
control over their visitors entering the building
- evenly
distributed lighting and matte surfaces to eliminate
glare and shadows
- surfaces
that require a minimum amount of maintenance
- contrasting
colours on walls, doors, light switches, electrical
outlets for easier viewing
- tactile
signage with raised large print (white on black) and
Braille
- tactile
surface alerts to warn of stairs and building entrances/exits
- sound-proofing
throughout
- anti-static
carpeting to eliminate interference with hearing aids
and computerized equipment
- carpeted
baseboards which mark less from cane use
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Accessible
Enter-Phone
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Tenants who require affordable housing can receive
a rent subsidy provided by the Ministry of Community and
Social Services.
Providing access to affordable housing ensures
that each tenant is able to live comfortably within their
financial means, further facilitating their independence
and responsibility.
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Download
RCH Application
for
Subsidized Housing |
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Privacy Within the Apartments |
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Each
tenant holds a lease with RCH which is governed by the Ontario
Residential Tenancies Act. RCH, as the landlord, adheres
to the same rules and regulations as any other landlord
in the Province of Ontario.
The privacy of each tenant's apartment is strictly
respected by all staff. Staff, as a rule, do not enter into
a tenant's apartment without permission. A Right of Entry
is obtained before any work is done in the apartments.
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Registered
Charity Number
121266423RR0001
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Rotary
Cheshire Homes Inc.
101-422 Willowdale Avenue
North York, Ontario
M2N 5B1
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