TESTIMONIALS
Savaria Concord works hard to provide products and services that solve problems for its clients. In order to capture some of these solutions, Concord has asked clients to provide testimonials as well as case studies of how Concord products are used.
If you have a story of how the addition of a lift or elevator has affected your life, or you have an example of how a Concord lift or elevator has been deployed and used, please let us know by sending an e-mail to info@concordelevator.com.
Testimonials
Skip Wilkins - "I recommend Concord products for everyone!"
Skip Wilkins is a renowned author, lecturer, Gold Medal Winner, fifteen time U.S. Wheelchair Team Member, National Wheelchair Hall of Fame Inductee, World Champion Shot Putter and ten time U.S. Table Tennis Champion.
Tom Angellotti - Humberdale Contractors Inc.
Tom Angellotti is the president/owner of Humberdale Contractors Inc. and with 40 years experience in the construction and renovation business he describes the Concord Prolift Accessibility Lift as "The best one I have ever seen."
A large part of Humberdale Contractor's business has been with churches and community centers in the Toronto and surrounding area. Tom installed his first Concord Prolift in Our Lady of Sorrow Church in 1990. The church was celebrating their 50th year anniversary and realized that they needed to provide barrier-free access for their congregation. They were not sure as to the type of accessibility equipment they needed and considered a ramp or a stair climber but after recognizing their need to serve both the basement level and the church level (twelve risers above the street level) they chose a Concord Prolift Accessibility Lift.
The benefits of the lift were immediately realized as the number of wheelchair users attending the church increased and the elderly began to use the lift regularly. The addition of the lift has also allowed the church to hold more special events and attract touring chorus groups by advertising that they are "handicap accessible." Humberdale Contractors Inc. has since installed a number of Concord Prolift Accessibility Lifts and also Concord Inclined Wheelchair Platform Lifts.
Tom says, "I have found Concord's design team to be invaluable when I require a special application design and their sales staff is always willing to come out and assist in any sale" And most important, he states, "I have never had a problem with inspectors when I use a Concord lift."
Tom Angellotti
Humberdale Contractors Inc
Rev. James C. Gill - Walton Memorial United Church
In 1991, Walton Memorial United Church decided to install a Concord Accessibility Prolift Elevator. Rev. Jim Gill recalls that, "We recognized an urgent need for an accessibility elevator. Older members of the congregation and their families had stopped coming to church - a church that had been a part of their life for 40 years." The elevator is primarily used by the elderly and, without the elevator, a minimum of twelve steps must be climbed and descended just to reach the service level.
The elevator also provides accessibility to both the basement and the street level. Rev. Jim Gill sees two big benefits to the Church that are directly related to the availability of the Concord elevator. First, is the rental income generated for the Church due to its ability to provide access for the physically disabled. The Church is used as a daycare center, scout and guide meeting place and piano school. Aside from attracting other group functions such as weddings and funerals, the Church is also used as a political polling station (the government cannot rent from you if your building is not accessible).
The ability of Walton Memorial United Church to advertise as a physically disabled accessible building has made all these rental opportunities possible. Secondly, the interaction between the people using the lift and the attendants at the lift has become a ministry in itself. Attendants are assigned to help at and operate the accessibility elevator, and these people get to know the regular elevator users. Rev. Gill says, "Waiting at the elevator has become a huge social event, and many new friendships are started at the elevator."
"Once the Concord elevator was up and running, we experienced no service or operating problems. I would not hesitate to recommend a Concord Lift to anyone."
Rev. James C. Gill
Walton Memorial United Church
Stanley E. Sota - Architect
I first began working with Savaria Concord Lifts about fifteen (15) years ago. Over this period of time about two dozen installations have been successfully completed covering a range of different projects including churches, legion halls, corporate headquarters and private homes. Concord Elevator Inc. is a good and strong design team player.
They are supportive in providing the design information, brochures and illustrations as well as follow-up shop drawings required to sell the product to our clients and back up the details in the documentation we submit for building permits and tendering (bids).
We find Concord staff to be knowledgeable in their field, prompt in providing pricing and thoroughly professional in manufacturing a quality product. We have no hesitation in recommending Savaria Concord Lifts highly to other architects or to our clients.
Stanley E. Sota,
B. Arch M.O.A.A and ARIDO Toronto, Ontario
Case Studies
The Leisure World Project
Concord partners with R.F. Erection to deliver 45 P.A.L. EN’s with custom enclosures.
A Dealer Becomes Part of the Solution
Manufacturer-dealer collaboration results in tool that reduces rail-installation time by 75 percent
The Kara Homes Project
Concord’s short lead times, reduced installation demands and support allow Mobility Elevator to deliver
Katie Gets Her Privacy
Katie is a beautiful and active 13 year old girl. She was born with Spina Bifida, a congenital disability affecting the vertebrae and spinal cord. Katie has never been able to walk, but today she uses a wheelchair for mobility. Katie’s mother recalls: "When Katie was younger it did not seem to be such a problem that her mobility was restricted one level of our two level home. A year ago, however, Katie announced that she was almost a teenager and she wanted her privacy - a room of her own - and she wanted it "upstairs.'"
Her parents thought that the only way their daughter could have the privacy she needed was if they sold their current house and moved to a larger single level home. Moving would mean uprooting Katie’s older sister and brother from their friends and school, untold moving costs, and total disruption for the family. The family decided to look at alternate options and agreed to talk to an accessibility planning consultant. The consultant recommended the Concord Versalift "Through-the -Floor" Wheelchair Lift.
The Concord Versalift is a unique lift that travels through a 5 ft X 4 ft opening in the upper floor. It is automatically opened and closed by the operation of the lift. When the lift is at the first floor level, the opening above is "filled in" and the complete floor space upstairs is available to be used by the whole family. The Concord Versalift requires no costly hoist way construction due to its special design. It needs only to be mounted on a suitable load bearing wall such as the inside of an exterior wall. The lift operates on normal 115 volts, 15 amps household power, and the auto-light feature conserves valuable hydro power when the lift is not in use. The emergency battery "back-up" feature is standard, and allows the passenger to rise and/or lower the lift, open the doors, and exit the lift in the event of a main power failure. The car compartment control buttons and the call station button at the upper and lower floors are large and conveniently positioned for easy access by Katie while sitting in her wheelchair.
"The elevator cost less than we thought it would," reports Katie’s father. The family sometimes wonders what Katie is doing in her room behind the "Do Not Enter" sign, but there’s no doubt the installation of the Concord Versalift has given Katie that private space she wanted. As for Katie, she’s very happy with her new room.
Employees Give Foreman a Lift
Four years ago Charlie´s life changed dramatically when a swimming accident left him with a broken neck. Charlie accepted the physical change and adjusted to a wheelchair for mobility, but he could not accept the idea that everything else should also change. In particular, he loved his job as Shop Foreman at Worldwide Slate Inc., and wanted to return to work as soon as possible. Charlie and his case manager worked with the company after his accident to ensure a smooth return to work. The only obstacle was that to exit Charlie´s house, he would have to leave by the front entrance which led out to a concrete porch. The porch height was 48" above the street level, where his morning ride would be waiting. Charlie also wondered how he would be received back at work. He didn’t have much time to think about it because two weeks before he was to return to work, his fellow workers arrived at his door with an accessibility consultant. After carefully evaluating the situation and the various lifts available, they decided to purchase a Concord Handilift Lift for Charlie so that he could come and go without any assistance.
There were several reasons why they chose the Concord Handilift. The Handilift was the most economical choice because it is a totally self-supporting unit that requires no external support members or structure. Installation is as easy as moving it into place, bolting it to a concrete pad, and plugging it into a 115 volts, 15 amps power service. The most important feature of the Handilift is its safe operation. The passenger is surrounded by 42" high side guard panels, and a 16" access ramp "locks" in the UP position when the lift is away from the landing. A standard feature is an under-platform sensor plate that will immediately "stop" the lift from traveling down if an obstruction is encountered. The reliable, low-maintenance, self lubricating design of the screw drive lifting mechanism produces the power to smoothly elevate and lower the lift and its rated load.
The company contributed one half of the cost of the lift and management was able to justify the expense by comparing it to the cost of hiring and training a new employee for Charlie’s job. Everyone at the company agreed that Charlie’s contribution to the company is well worth the price of a lift. And, after all, he is the manager of the company’s baseball team.
A Matter of Independance
Elsie is 70 years old and like many people her age, she has rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, Elsie cannot ever remember when she didn’t have arthritis. However, her arthritis has never stopped Elsie from doing anything that she decided she wanted to do, at least, not until this past winter.
Elsie and her husband live in a rural town in a small single floor home with a basement. The basement contains the recreation room, laundry room, and furnace room. There are exactly seventeen steps down to the basement level. Elsie knows there are exactly seventeen steps because she would count each painful step every time she was forced to climb or descend those stairs. She recounts, "I don’t know which was worse, going up or going down those terrible stairs, but finally I found that I just couldn’t do it any more."
The Occupational Therapist from the Arthritis Society made periodic visits to check up on Elsie, and it was during one of those visits that Elsie presented the therapist with her stair climbing problem. She told the therapist, "I can’t even do my laundry and it shames me." The therapist recommended a Liberty Stair Chair Lift. Elsie had never heard of a stair chair lift and wanted no part of it. "You’ll never get me riding on one of those things," she stated.
At the urging of the Therapist, Elsie agreed to at least speak to the area Savaria Concord Lifts Authorized Dealer. The dealer assured Elsie that the most important feature of the Concord Liberty Stair Chair is its operating safety. Positive and slip proof movement is ensured by a reliable, smooth rack and pinion drive mechanism travelling on a sturdy 4" I beam. Chairs are equipped with a safety belt, arm rests, and footrests for passenger comfort and safety. The seat faces sideways during the complete travel distance allowing the rider reassurance felt by being able to see both up and down the stairway at all times. The footrest is equipped with sensors that immediately stop the chair if an obstruction is encountered while travelling in either the up or down direction. The dealer’s assurances convinced Elsie and her husband to try the Liberty Stair Chair Lift.
