CNIB (formerly called the Canadian National Institute for the Blind) will open a more accessible community hub for the visually impaired at Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue in June, just in time for its centennial. 

According to Brian McLean, CNIB program leader of culture, recreation and sports, the Bayview Avenue location is not very accessible to clients, many of whom have to take more than one bus to get there. 

“CNIB chose the St. Clair location because it’s right by the subway and centralized in the middle of a growing community,” said McLean. 

The state-of-the-art facility will include a virtual reality room where clients can simulate just about any obstacle they may face. There’s also a doggy bar for guide dogs and an accessible kitchen.

“I’m excited about getting more of our participants out of their homes and more actively involved with other CNIB participants,” he said. “We have a lot of programs on the go, from ballroom dancing to bowling to obstacle races to dragon boat teams.”

Andrea Chedas is a member of the CNIB volunteer advisory board. Her 11-year-old son was born with a degenerative vision disorder, and she intends to make great use of the hub.

“My long-term goal is to get my son, as he grows, to live in that area, because it’s accessible, and he’ll have the hub where he can interact with other people. Whether he needs a cane or a dog or whatever, it’ll be set up for people like him,” she said.

CNIB also aims to get people talking about sight loss, which is why more than 500 volunteers gathered at Nathan Phillips Square at 7 a.m. on March 31 to set a Guinness World Record for “the largest formation of a human eye.”