Discover the partnership websiteLiving Atlas of Quality
6 August 2026Halifax commons pool (1950 sqft) was apart of a greater master plan, to create a healthier, more equitable commons area. Receiving an 84.2% score in 2024 for Rick Hansen gold certification. This case study will explore the accessibility successes of the project through the Rick Hansen guidelines. Located in the commons ground, the pool sits between Cogswell Street and bell road, and backs onto a large green recreation space. The single outdoor pool is 13500 sq ft with capacity for 450 bathers, provides universal changing facilities, showers and washrooms. Open to all, the facility also provides a multipurpose room, an accessible kitchen, and washrooms specific for park users. This design demonstrates seamless accessibility design, from entering in the site, through the building design and into the pool. With an accessible main entrance all occupants enter together, and into a porous repeated floor plan. This provides easy understanding of the program. With signage that wraps the corners of interior walls, occupants are guided through the building. All spaces are accessed by all occupants. The designers have provided individual change and shower rooms, universal non-gendered washrooms and lockers for each type of user. The design not only enhances accessibility throughout the site, but also achieved net zero certification through a number of sustainable features: pv panels, untreated eastern white cedar cladding (carbon sequestration), advanced pool warming techniques with air-to-water heat pumps. The site provides porous materials to increase drainage and a pool water recapture system for irrigating nearby fields.
| Resource type |  |
| Author | Nethma Aluthge and Kea Koutsoukis |
| Copyright owner | Laurentian University SSHRC Partnership Grant |
| Type of viewpoint | Researcher |
| Language | English |
| Copyright | Creative Commons |
Halifax commons pool (1950 sqft) was apart of a greater master plan, to create a healthier, more equitable commons area. Receiving an 84.2% score in 2024 for Rick Hansen gold certification. This case study will explore the accessibility successes of the project through the Rick Hansen guidelines. Located in the commons ground, the pool sits between Cogswell Street and bell road, and backs onto a large green recreation space. The single outdoor pool is 13500 sq ft with capacity for 450 bathers, provides universal changing facilities, showers and washrooms. Open to all, the facility also provides a multipurpose room, an accessible kitchen, and washrooms specific for park users. This design demonstrates seamless accessibility design, from entering in the site, through the building design and into the pool. With an accessible main entrance all occupants enter together, and into a porous repeated floor plan. This provides easy understanding of the program. With signage that wraps the corners of interior walls, occupants are guided through the building. All spaces are accessed by all occupants. The designers have provided individual change and shower rooms, universal non-gendered washrooms and lockers for each type of user. The design not only enhances accessibility throughout the site, but also achieved net zero certification through a number of sustainable features: pv panels, untreated eastern white cedar cladding (carbon sequestration), advanced pool warming techniques with air-to-water heat pumps. The site provides porous materials to increase drainage and a pool water recapture system for irrigating nearby fields.
