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Redpath Museum pathless for disabled students Critics say administration violates its own student rights policy Lom e K otler Renovations to the Redapth Museum funded with a grant from the Quebec government will not make the building accessible to dis abled students, in violation of McGill University’s policies. Section 15 of the policy in the Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities states: “There is an ongoing removal of architectural barriers that limits students with disabilities...the McGill BarrierFree Standards are applied to all renovation and new construction at McGill.” Recently, the museum received a half million dollar grant from the Actions gouvernmentales immédi ates de relance (AGIR) fund of the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communication. The grant did not include funds to address the prob lem of the buildings inaccessibility. Chuck Adler, the director of the University Planning Office, was involved in the initial stages of the museum renovation project. “There is no viable plan as of today [for making the building accessible]. I haven’t given up, but it is not in the financial constraints,” said Adler. “It wasn’t submitted as part of the program — we would have tried if we had the cash.” Dr. Graham Bell, director of the Redpath Museum, explained that the funds obtained from the ministry were directed toward spe cific goals. There is a new perma nent exhibit on the geological his tory and biological diversity of
Quebec as well as a new exhibit on ethnology. In addition, there were structural changes to the third floor and more display space was made. Mario Brodeur, an officer at the Ministry of Culture and Communication, said the lack of handicapped accesibility in the plans didn’t affect the awarding of the grant. “Yes we are aware the public building is not accessible,” he said. Professor David Covo, Director of the School of Architecture and a member of the Advisory Group to the university’s Office of Facilities and Development, was involved in preparing an architectural plan that would have satisfied accessibility requirements, but it was rejected on grounds of cost. “The concept involved a new entrance at the rear with a relatively simple ramp, some reworking of the interior space, more reworking upstairs and the addition of an ele vator. It would also have involved [among other things] upgrading the washrooms and telephones,” said Covo. “The grant [Redpath] was able to secure would not cover addi tional work.” Bell denies having ever seen an architectural plan; however, he believes that the university will fol low through. “As far as I understand, it is a project that is going to be done by the university,” he said. He was not aware of the Univesity policy with respect to See REDPATH, page 2
NATHAN LEBIODA
On your mark, get set, go! Men’s cross-country runners battle the heat and humidity Saturday morning as they embark on a gruelling six kilometre run.
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search for cutting-edge theatre Liz Truchanow icz becomes a trap that is eventually Naomi Iizuka’s Language of responsible for the show’s own Angels is the latest production from downfall. The story is that of eight The Alternate Theatre, a non-prof friends forever transformed by a it organization founded in 2001 by horrific event that occurred deep in McGill alumnus Kareem Fahmy. the recesses of a cave in the moun Language is the Alternate Theatre’s tains of North Carolina. third production at the Players’ Upon entering the theatre, the Theatre following past successes by Suzan-Lori Parks’ Venus and audience is immediately confronted by large hanging stalactites. A video Fahmy’s own W/O U I ’m Nothing. Unfortunately its current pro projection of the interior of a cave duction of Language does not take transforms the atmosphere and we the Alternate Theatre in a new See LANGUAGE, page 14 direction. In this instance, the
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“D isbelief in magic can lead a poor soul into believing in government and business. — Tom Robbins