Reflections on Wayfinding and Accessibility in Downtown Halifax

This fall, I chose to look at wayfinding systems in downtown Halifax as part of my coursework at Dalhousie’s School of Planning. Wayfinding systems are put in place to make cities easier to navigate for people of all ages and abilities. My project started looking at how a wayfinding system could enhance the tourist experience in downtown Halifax. However, a wayfinding system would benefit both tourists and locals alike, making the built environment more accessible for everyone.

Unlike many cities of a similar size, Halifax does not have a wayfinding strategic plan. This means that there is little to no informational signage directing people to destinations and facilities around the downtown. Moreover, the signage that currently exists is primarily located around the waterfront, targeted at tourists rather than residents, and has limited function for accessibility.

My research found that there is great potential for the implementation of a wayfinding system in Halifax. Wayfinding in Halifax could encompass a combination of physical signage, sidewalk design, or any other audio-visual cue that could help an individual navigate the built environment. While municipal plans such as the Active Transportation Priorities Plan and the Land Use By-law and Transportation and Streetscape Design Functional Plan outline the need for a wayfinding strategy, there is currently no other publicly available document to explicitly address wayfinding in downtown Halifax.

While I was looking into wayfinding, I attended a lecture by Andrew Taylor, an accessibility advocate who spoke about his experience of Halifax’s downtown from his perspective as a person with a physical disability. Andrew shared some of the challenges he faced when navigating due to lack of signage and information relevant to his accessibility needs. For example, because there is no information suggesting to users which streets and/or areas of the city have accessibility features or facilities, Andrew said he had to be very particular about which routes he traveled and where he chose to go. Andrew added that he often felt like he could only travel on streets he was already familiar with. A universally accessible wayfinding system could direct users to accessible washrooms, building entrances, ramps, and/or routes that have been designed for accessibility in order to address this concern and enhance the experience of individuals living with a disability.

Andrew’s talk made me reconsider what is meant by a good wayfinding system. While traditional wayfinding systems have an explicit focus on informational signage, there are a variety of ways that directional information can be integrated into the built environment. Design interventions in the built environment, such as auditory signals at an intersection, ultimately create a safer urban environment for everyone. Another example of how this could be done is by implementing visual cues that alert individuals of an upcoming curb. This would in turn make more areas of the city accessible to residents living with a disability.

Halifax is a great candidate for a wayfinding system to assist tourist and locals of all abilities to effectively navigate and experience the community. If Halifax were to implement a wayfinding system, applying an accessibility lens to the design is crucial. Designing a wayfinding system through an accessibility lens means understanding how people with disabilities move through the city. This must be done through careful consultation and documentation of the lived experience of those in the disability community. Capturing how people with disabilities experience downtown Halifax is a critical first step in building a wayfinding system that benefits all people.

Another great lecture!

Last week, we were pleased to welcome Jen Powley as part of the First-Person Narratives for an Accessible Built Environment lecture series. Jen spoke about accessibility considerations from her experience as a person with progressive multiple sclerosis, an advocate for persons with disabilities, and as a certified planner — a graduate of our own School of Planning!

Firstly, Jen used many examples of spaces that have made her feel like an afterthought. She described for us how wheelchair users are often excluded from everyday activities and events. In addition, Jen was able to speak to barriers experienced by persons who are visually impaired.

One of the biggest challenges to planning for accessibility is trying to come up with solutions that work for everyone. Jen highlighted how some design solutions, meant to address the needs of persons with certain disabilities, can be in direct conflict with the needs of others. However, Jen’s lecture was optimistic. She discussed how she herself is continuing to advocate for more accessible communities through a pilot project on housing for those with severe disabilities. She also encouraged students in the audience to continue to seek solutions to the challenges of designing for all.

In conclusion, PEACH would like to thank Jen for her participation in this lecture series. We are grateful for her expertise and passion for planning for accessibility. We hope to continue to work with her on current and future projects.  

Jen is the author of Just Jen: Thriving Through Multiple Sclerosis. Jen graciously signed a couple copies for the PEACH Research Unit. We recommend checking it out!

Launch of Lecture Series

Yesterday, PEACH hosted the first lecture of the First-Person Narratives for an Accessible Built Environment lunchtime lecture series. We were happy to see a large turn out, with many interested community members in attendance.

Frank O’Sullivan, Executive Director of the Society of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Nova Scotians, offered valuable insights about some barriers to communication that deaf persons often experience in public spaces. His experience emphasized the importance of visual ques and textual or graphic instruction for wayfinding, navigation, and emergency systems. Frank explained how modern technologies, in the form of personal cellphones, CART translation services, and internet apps, have contributed significantly to eliminating social barriers for persons of the deaf community.

DeafSpace is a relatively new concept in inclusive design, where spaces are shaped by and for members of the deaf community as opposed to hearing persons. Orientation of seating, brightness of lighting and colour contrasting, sightlines for movement, and acoustics are some considerations for the design of spaces inclusive of deaf and hard of hearing persons. Gallaudet University in Washington, DC is leading this practice of DeafSpace in the development of its campus’s indoor and outdoor spaces. We invite you to learn more about DeafSpace at Gallaudet University at https://www.gallaudet.edu/campus-design-and-planning/deafspace.

PEACH would like to thank Frank for his participation in this lecture series. We look forward to working with him and members of the deaf and hard of hearing community of Halifax more throughout our research. Thank you also to everyone who made it out to attend this first lecture. We hope you will join us again when we host our next speaker!