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This treehouse is special !
It was built from the heart by volunteers to accommodate all people, even those with mobility problems.
Built from a combination of steel, Oak and Ash hardwood the fully accessible Heartland Treehouse is located at the junction of the Michigan and Trillium Trails within the forest itself. The structure has been fashioned using the Universal Access Concept making it the first of its kind in Ontario and in Canada to be open to the public. (Universal Access Concept takes into account the needs of those with mobility challenges - those wheelchair bound).
The complete structure rises some 6 ft. above the ground on 4 - 24" X 24" concrete pillars. Mounted on these pillars are 2 - 30 foot 18" I-beam main girders. Every 2 ft. along their length and running between them are 12" steel joist supporting the floor of 1" oak.
All wood for this project was gleaned from the forest, sawed and milled to the desired width and thickness by a portable saw on the property and then hauled to a suitable stagging area.
The deck of the treehouse is 30' X 36' with the house itself centered. It has a pitched roof of corrugated steel to guard against damage from mold, moss and tree pitch. There are 2 doors and 6 shuttered openings in the walls. The frame is made of 2 X 6 oak studding and sheeted with 1" X 12" boards. A 36" railing structure is provided around the perimeter of the deck.
The 132 foot ramp is divided into 3 - 30 ft. sections with 12' X 10' resting areas at each junction. These resting areas are each mounted on 4 - 12" concrete pillars with 12' I-beams holding the width. Each section of ramp is supported on 3 -30' - 18" triple steel trusses and the ramp floor is made of 1"X 6" oak. The ramp railings are 36" from floor and an additional 32" assistance railing is also provided.
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