Calgary's deaf community celebrates opening of new centre

David Murison has been waiting his whole life for a space for Calgary's deaf community to congregate.

The 80-year-old finally realized that dream on Saturday, at the opening of the Calgary Association of the Deaf's (CAD) new centre.

"The first time I remember going to deaf school and seeing people sign, I kind of feel like that now. Just seeing everybody, all together, signing, it's very inspiring to me," he said in American Sign Language, through an interpreter.

The centre, which features assistive technologies like video-relay services and a lighting system for warnings or alerts, willbe one of only five similar spaces across Canada, the organization said.

And it comes just in time for CAD's 85th anniversary this year.

Murison said it took years of work to make the space happen.

• Watch David Murison explain what the new centre means to him in the video at the top of this story.

"CAD took a long time to find the right place for everybody so everybody can come together. It really is remarkable for me to see this. I think they did good," he said.

His wife, 84-year-old Louise, became deaf at 15-months-old from pneumonia.

She said she faced challenges she's glad today's youth won't have to like being unable to run due to large battery packs for hearing aids being strapped to her legs.

"I think it's wonderful to have CAD have its own building at long last," she said.

Rytch Newmiller, with CAD, said the new space had to fit the needs of a large swath of people of all ageswith complex needs.

"Typically any spaces are run by non-deaf people, so they sometimes don't come out of their shell because they don't feel it's safe, which leads to isolation," he said.

He anticipates around 500 Albertans will use the centre, which is located at#103,281611th Street N.E. inCalgary.

As well as a space to socialize, the group is also planning to offer an ASL course.