Meaningful access to the spaces that matter
Residential and Commerical Services, and Accessible Garden Design
What We Offer
We offer comprehensive accessibility consulting services for any client that wants to improve accessibility, however large or small in scope. Using RHFAC’s structured methodology, we assess key elements that impact accessibility and provide tailored recommendations to enhance usability for a
diverse range of users. Should you choose, we ca
We offer comprehensive accessibility consulting services for any client that wants to improve accessibility, however large or small in scope. Using RHFAC’s structured methodology, we assess key elements that impact accessibility and provide tailored recommendations to enhance usability for a
diverse range of users. Should you choose, we can also help your organization work toward an RHFAC or RHF Accessibility Certified Gold rating, the highest benchmark for accessibility that currently exists in Canada. Find out more about that by clicking the link below. We also offer specialized garden accessibility services.
Who We Serve
Who We Serve
- Businesses
- Homeowners
- Non-profit organizations
- Public spaces, trails, playgrounds, etc
- Community Gardens
- Hospitals, Long term care facilities, etc
- Churches/places of worship
- Schools
- School Garden Programs
- Vocational Programs for people with disabilities
- Anyone who wants to improve accessibility
professional accessibility services
Accessibility Consulting and Universal Design Recommendations
Whether you want a few recommendations to make a certain space or experience more accessible, such as designing a ramp or improving a washroom, or whether you want to assess an entire facility and look at all aspects that could affect accessibility, we can help you out.
RHFAC Ratings for Existing Sites:
Achieving a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification or RHF Accessibility Certified Gold rating enables your organization to showcase your commitment to accessibility and be listed on RHFAC Registry of accessible spaces. This is particularly valuable for businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors and any organization looking to create a more inclusive environment for all.
RHFAC Ratings for Pre-Construction:
The most cost-effective way to ensure accessibility is to integrate it into the design phase rather than making costly retrofits later. We've worked on numerous projects alongside architects, project managers, tradespeople, occupational therapists, clients with disabilities, and their advocates. We can support you in achieving best-in-class accessibility based on RHFAC criteria and Universal Design principles.
Specialized services
Accessible Garden Recommendations
For all of the 14 years that Marcel has worked as a direct support worker to people with disabilities, he has found opportunities to facilitate access to gardening. Sometimes this has been as simple as a 4x4 foot plot in the city, and more recently has meant leading a half acre 4-season market garden selling vegetables all over Cape Breton island. At every point, providing people with disabilities with meaningful access to the joys of gardening was at the absolute forefront. Taking into consideration each person's particular access needs, in combination with the gardening task of that day and trying different tools, techniques and positions in order to find the perfect set up to make it accessible and enjoyable... this has been among the most interesting and rewarding work for him. Having learned a lot about what works (and a lot more about what doesn't work), he can provide recommendations for your community garden, market garden or home garden to help make it a place of inclusion and enjoyment for all expected users.
Accessibility Workshops for Community Garden Groups
We can provide workshops for community garden leaders that want to ensure their gardens are as accessible as they can be to their users, and to create an environment where people with disabilities feel welcome and valued as equal members of their communities.
Adaptive Garden Tool Development
More to come. But we are actively designing garden tools to fill a gap that exists in the marketplace for gardeners with disabilities.
About
Marcel Visser has worked in the disability field for the past 14 years, and has developed a knowledge and passion for tackling the barriers that people with disabilities face in the built environment. He holds designation as a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) Professional. RHFAC is the first system of its kind in Canada to assess the built environment for meaningful access across a spectrum of disabilities. At its core are the principles of Universal Design and the belief that many, if not all, of people's access needs can be accommodated through thoughtful design.
worth mentioning
Marcel received the 'Invisible Champion' award from the Bhayana Family Foundation and the United Way in 2024 for his work in L'Arche Cape Breton
Marcel was invited to present a workshop at the American Community Gardening Association's annual conference in Boston in 2024, on the topic of making gardens accessible. It was entitled "Accessible Gardens: Places of Community for All Abilities"