Tridel offers many choices to our homeowners. We build across the city, offer all sorts of designs and price points, and the interior design choices are almost limitless. But what if the condo design doesn’t work for you? What if you need to change almost everything? This is a very likely reality for a person with a disability looking for a new home.
Sharon, a homeowner at Tridel’s Republic of Yonge & Eglinton, was gracious enough to give me a tour of her home. Sharon uses a motorized wheelchair to get around. She wanted to move to the Yonge and Eglinton area because of the easy accessibility to shops and entertainment.
Sharon shows us how her balcony was made accessible. She loves sitting here and watching the action below.
When shopping for a new home, Sharon’s architect asked her to write a letter describing her disability and everything she wanted in a condo.
“He then took into consideration things like, how do I transfer? Do I transfer from the left or the right? On to the toilet or the sofa? The strength in my arms, my hand dexterity, what I wanted to use in my apartment, do I cook, and do I have guests,” says Sharon.
Sharon chose two floorplans she liked and sent them to her architect for review. Once one was chosen, they came to Tridel and asked whether the modifications were possible. When the answer was yes, she decided to buy the condo.
Not only did Sharon have to modify her condo for her life now, with everything in the space and every part of the condo accessible to her, but she also had to consider the future and whether she would be strong enough to do certain things, like open a sliding balcony door.
Sharon's dishwasher in her customized condo at Republic.
“It was a stressful process, but overall it worked out really well,” says Sharon. “Tridel took into consideration how my life works.”
These are some of the many customizations Sharon made to her suite:
- all countertops are at her height and have space below for her wheelchair; all switches and buttons are placed at her height
- automatic door and blinds opener; wide angle lens in the peephole
- kitchen features side-by-side fridge and freezer, small dishwasher that pulls out like a drawer, oven that opens like a microwave with pull-out drawer below to put hot pots on, and induction stove top with touch control buttons
- all doors are wider for her to go through easily and there’s no carpet, which is easier to clean and move on
- roll-in shower with curved shower rod for added space and lowered shower head
