Centre for the blind opens at Yonge-St. Clair

The new space will help those with vision loss obtain skills to complete everyday tasks

Whether navigating an intersection or cooking dinner, completing day-to-day tasks can be challenging for those with sight loss.

On Monday, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind is opening a community hub for those with visual disabilities — what the organization says is the first of its kind in the province — where they can come for support and to learn new skills.

“For an urban market, we’re hoping this becomes the model for the rest of the country,” said Angela Bonfanti, executive director of the institute’s GTA branch.

The hub, a community centre of sorts at Yonge St. and St. Clair Ave., is geared for all ages. The ground floor features everything from a discovery zone, where kids can play with toys such as Lego, to a technology and computer bar.

At a reading station, books are overlaid with Braille so children and parents can read together if one or both are visually impaired.

There’s also a kitchen, or “Fun with Food Zone,” where Bonfanti envisions many cooking classes taking place.

“What a lot of people don’t know when they meet someone who is blind is that they can cook all by themselves with just some simple training techniques,” she said. “We plan to have a lot of fun here, not just to train people how to cook, but we’d love to be able to make a turkey for the neighbourhood.”

Near the front entrance, a doggy bar is setup for guide dogs to enjoy a treat when their humans stop by.

The building is equipped with BlindSquare, a way-finding app which tells people where everything in the room is relative to their location.

The space is meant to be a learning zone, especially for those who aren’t necessarily familiar with all the tools that could help them in their day-to-day lives, said Debbie Gillespie, the institute’s lead for accessibility, infrastructure and transit.

“I’m probably going to hang out at the Internet café and the tech bar,” said Gillespie, who is blind.

“I’m in the community teaching about way-finding and helping people get where they’ve got to go safely, independently and efficiently. Those are things we all take for granted, but if you’re new to Toronto and you’re new to a space, you want to be able to use environmental clues that help you get there.”

Tactile floors and light-up railings on the stairway lead to the top floor, where there is a multi-functional space for activities such as yoga or Pilates.

“Everything is made to be fluid and mobile,” Bonfanti said. “This space could change in many ways. Each day could look very different depending on the program.”

There’s also a virtual reality zone where both those with sight loss and with full vision can simulate various situations.

Using sounds and visual cues, the technology can augment whatever limited vision one has to simulate a situation, like crossing a street in the snow or flying an airplane.

“If you’re a senior starting to lose vision and you’re not sure ‘well, what can I do, what can’t I do the same,’ you can come here in a safe environment and try it out.” DEBBIE GILLESPIE CNIB

For a child starting out in a new classroom, for instance, 360-degree cameras could capture their new surroundings and allow them to see what they’ll soon experience in advance.

“It’s a fun thing but it combines it with real serious learning,” Gillespie said. “If you’re a senior starting to lose vision and you’re not sure ‘well, what can I do, what can’t I do the same?’ you can come here in a safe environment and try it out.”

Bonfanti said they’re expecting 50-100 people of all ages daily at the centre, which will have an open-door policy seven days a week. Every tool has been donated or purchased at a highly discounted cost.

About $75,000 worth of tools have been donated in total.

The centre is not just meant to help those with sight loss, but also to change attitudes among the rest of the community as well.

Bonfanti said she plans to invite employers to come experience the tools as though they are blind themselves and hopefully be inspired to make their businesses more accessible for blind patrons and employees.