15220 92nd Avenue, Surrey, B.C.
Our Surrey Centre has been in the same location since 2003, housed in a custom-built facility created to meet the needs of children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Our staff provide individual services along with groups, workshops, and special events at this Centre.
Children with hearing loss/deafness and language challenges have great difficulty learning when background noise is present. Preventative sound measures were taken by BCFHRC in the construction of this facility to reduce background noise and any reverberation of sound (echo): the covering of all areas inside the building with carpet and underlay padding; careful placement of acoustic tile paneling to absorb sound; extra-large ducts lined with absorptive material in the heating/ventilation/cooling system; double wall construction with extra insulation for all interior walls; solid doors with gasket seals to further contain sound; and a strategically-placed vestibule that creates a sound barrier between the main meeting room and the potentially noisy reception area.
Observation rooms are attached to each of our classrooms and individual therapy rooms. Parents and professionals can sit in the observation rooms with two-way mirrors, and watch and listen to sessions, gaining valuable insight into their children’s progress.
In our main, multi-purpose room there are three Assistive Listening Device (ALD) technologies – infrared, FM and the loop system. Table top and wireless microphones are used by participants at meetings and presentations. Individuals who are hard-of-hearing are able to receive sound through the various ALD systems, while the participants with typical hearing can benefit from speakers in the ceiling. The multi-purpose room is also equipped with two ceiling-mounted LCD projectors: one to provide ‘real time captioning,’ and the other one for slides, power-point, or video presentations. There is also space for ASL interpreters and a purpose-built booth for second-language interpreters.
Our Centre in Surrey also holds our provincial resource library, with hundreds of books, videos, and research journals related to the topics of hearing loss/deafness and child development. These materials are available for loan to parents and professionals throughout British Columbia. We also have books for young readers, because we know how important it is to develop early literacy skills in children with a hearing loss.
Children love our outdoor playground with multiple playhouses, bike path, and equipment specifically designed for very young children. Parents enjoy engaging with each other as they watch their children play and ride tricycles on the tree-lined path, build social skills and interact with one another.