Accessibility

We have a strong commitment towards accessibility for all our communities. From products and services, to digital interactions, communications, physical spaces and events. 

Our website aims to meet the Australian Government’s web accessibility requirements. These include the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) at level AA.

We want to provide our information for everyone, including people with a disability.

Please get in touch with us if anything on this site is inaccessible to you or you experience problems accessing our content.

If you have any questions or concerns about accessibility with regards to visiting our offices, attending events or accessing services please contact us or call 02 6257 2855.

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Building & Premises

Location: Havelock House, 85 Northbourne Ave, Turner ACT

Meridian is in the process of addressing and upgrading the accessibility of our building and services. We have recently undertaken an Access Appraisal of our premises and are working towards key improvements, particularly in regards to our toilets and accessways. The current accessibility of our building and premises is described below.

Please feel free to contact us with any feedback, questions or concerns.

Public Transport

Meridian is located 110m from the nearest light rail stop - Elouera Street. You can also take the Free City Loop bus which stops on Mort street, approximately 300m away.

Parking

Please see attached map for parking options. Meridian's two visitor spots are on the driveway that goes between Northbourne Ave and Gould St, and are useful for those who can't walk far and need to park close to the building. There are also two designated ‘accessible’ parking spots on this driveway that are shared with Havelock House. One of these spots is located on a slope and curve, and does not meet the standard requirement of an accessible parking space.

Unfortunately these spots cannot be reserved and may be already taken.

As per the map, there is 2 hour street parking available which may require more walking.

Street Access

The pathways around Meridian are uneven in places and may be difficult to navigate for some. Of particular concern are the curb cuts that cross the driveway at the entrance to Gould street, as these are steep and impede on the main concrete path from the ‘accessible’ parking spots to the building. It is possible to navigate these pathways by wheelchair but care should be taken, especially during wet conditions. We have reported our concerns about the public footpath to the ACT government and are looking into avenues for improvement.

Wheelchair Accessibility

There is no easy yes or no response as to whether Meridian is wheelchair accessible – a lot will depend on the individual’s circumstances, type of chair and level of comfort navigating tricky spaces. The following information may be helpful in determining if the space is likely to be accessible for you.

Entrance

• There are ramps up to both the front entrance of Meridian and the Exchange/Meridian Wellbeing entrance.
• The main Meridian entrance door can be opened out all the way and should accommodate a standard size wheelchair. If a wider doorway is needed, a staff member will open both front doors from the inside, which requires standing on a step ladder to undo the bolt at the top of the door.
• The Exchange/Meridian Wellbeing entrance door is slightly wider and should accommodate a standard size wheelchair.
• The Pride Hub is accessed internally through Meridian’s front entrance door. The external access door to the Pride Hub is used as an additional fire exit and has a step down to the street.
• The back door from Meridian’s offices is also used as an additional fire exit and has a series of steps down to a staff parking space with limited space for navigating between cars when full.

Internal Access

• The doorways in the building are wide enough for a standard sized wheelchair but could be tricky for a larger or motorised model.
• Some of the corners are quite tight and it can be tricky to navigate around the building.
• The back hallway and bathrooms have heavy self-closing doors which can be difficult for wheelchair users. A staff member can chock these open using doorstops to facilitate access.

Bathrooms

• Ambulatory wheelchair users (who are able to leave their chair) can access Meridian’s all-gender bathrooms but will need to leave their chair outside the cubicle (or potentially the bathroom) due to limited space.
• The far-right cubicle in both bathrooms has a grab rail installed along one side to assist with access.
• Non-ambulatory wheelchair users (who are unable to leave their chair) can access Havelock’s wheelchair accessible toilet through their Federation Conference Room. A Meridian staff member will need to unlock this room with a key to facilitate access to the bathroom.

Assistance Animals

Assistance animals are very welcome in the Pride Hub and Meridian offices.

Hearing Loops

Unfortunately there are currently no hearing loops in the Pride Hub or Meridian offices. However, we are looking into installation in the Pride Hub. Please let us know if this would be helpful for you or your group participants.

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