Have a bucket of money and an appointment with an architect and an interior designer? Here’s what you can do to be the most accessible venue in your town.

This checklist assumes that your venue is still being designed or that you are in the planning stages of a renovation.

• Speak with an access consultant at the beginning of the design process and ensure that your architect and interior designer understands the principles of Universal Design.
• Host a dinner with a diverse group of family and friends with different abilities and ask them about what would make them feel comfortable in your venue.
• Install a unisex toilet that meets Changing Places standards.
• Create a venue that has a mix of different spaces – quieter and louder, lighter and darker, closer and wider, taller and shorter – to ensure that people with different requirements can have their needs met.
• Take staff through disability awareness training and sign language training.
• Work with a web accessibility consultant to redesign the website.
• Choose a location that does not require step access, or install an elevator/lift.
• Hire staff with disabilities and provide reasonable adjustments so they can excel in their role.