Parents relieved city will replace ground cover at Summerside’s only wheelchair-accessible park
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Struggling to navigate her son’s wheelchair round a park designed particularly for youngsters with mobility impairments is an added problem Christine Cameron didn’t want – but it surely has been her actuality for the previous few years.
Nonetheless, Cameron, and quite a lot of different households within the metropolis, are celebrating information that their issues are being addressed.
“It would make a world of distinction,” stated the Summerside resident.
Billy Bridges Park, situated on Notre Dame Avenue and named after the Summerside-born, gold-medal Paralympian, was revamped in 2019 to be town’s first wheelchair-accessible playground. However virtually instantly after it reopened, households began noticing that the virgin wood-chip materials used as floor cowl, generally known as Fibar, was making it troublesome for wheelchairs to get round.
“These chairs aren’t the perfect at attempting to get by way of grass, mulch or the rest,” stated Cameron, whose son, Dillon, has cerebral palsy.
The Journal Pioneer first featured the issues of native dad and mom in 2019. At the moment, town stated it had been in touch with the Fibar provider and was working with it to enhance the mobility concern. Fibar is licensed to be used with wheelchairs and is taken into account an acceptable product for an area like Billy Bridges Park; it was recommended that over time the fabric would settle and make it simpler for customers to traverse. There have been additionally funds points to think about as the additional value of the rubber matting dad and mom have been asking for was thought of the “Cadillac” choice and would have practically doubled the price of the unique park renovation mission.
The issue continued and earlier this month, Cameron took to social media to name for motion on the file.
In response, town took one other have a look at the problem and council has authorised the acquisition of recent rubber playground matting, which can substitute the Fibar.
The fabric and set up are anticipated to value about $100,000. A name for tenders has been issued for each, so the ultimate price ticket won’t be identified till they shut.
The information got here as a welcome shock to Cameron and the neighborhood of native households who’ve wheelchair-bound youngsters.
“I’m glad they took us significantly and did one thing about it lastly,” she stated.
As soon as the rubber floor is put in, Billy Bridges Park will serve its audience very properly, she added, and is a superb useful resource for the neighborhood.
“It’s good that we lastly have an accessible park of our personal in our space. There was nothing right here earlier than,” she stated. “It opens up extra room for actions for these guys to do. I imply there’s not a tonne of stuff you are able to do once you’re in a wheelchair and also you’re restricted to the enjoyable you possibly can have already. So, if there’s a strategy to make issues accessible and adaptable for these children – why not do it?”
Coun. Cory Snow, who represents the realm, stated that given the park’s particular standing as being supposed to be as accessible for youngsters with mobility points as attainable, council agreed the Fibar must be changed.
“(The park) being named after Billy Bridges and being our solely accessible park inside our metropolis we felt we would have liked to do extra to verify it’s as user-friendly as attainable. Fortunately, council and mayor supported the expense,” stated Snow.
Set up of the brand new rubber floor cowl is anticipated to happen as quickly as attainable. In the meantime, the Fibar that’s at the moment on the bottom can be repurposed for one more park within the metropolis.
Colin MacLean is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @JournalPMacLean.
