‘All our playgrounds should be accessible to children who have disabilities’
A call to make all playgrounds in Westmeath accessible to children with disabilities and to provide accessible equipment was made at the June monthly meeting of Westmeath County Council. The meeting learned that there are 44 playgrounds in the county, 35 of which have equipment that is accessible to the disabled.
Cllr Denis Leonard asked that all of the council’s playgrounds be fitted with wheelchair accessible swings and that the council examine the general accessibility of playgrounds to children with all forms of disability. He also asked that the council work with community groups who provide playground facilities in many towns and villages to ensure maximum accessibility for all.
He welcomed the news that there were so many accessible playgrounds in the county. He said that when he came to Westmeath the county had only two playgrounds, now it has 44. He accepted that the situation has improved drastically, but pointed out that when many of the playgrounds were designed, there was less awareness of the need to make them accessible to the disabled.
Cllr Leonard said that there are hundreds of voluntary associations working to ensure people with disabilities have access to amenities and the council should work with them, and he told the meeting of one person who paid to have a wheelchair accessible swing installed in a playground.
He was supported by Cllr Emily Wallace, who said accessible equipment should be provided where possible to ensure equal rights for all children. All children are entitled to play, she added.
Cllr John Shaw called for the upgrading of the playground in Mullingar Town Park to a standard that would benefit everyone, and suggested that the council liaise with parent groups and organisations such as Autism Ireland to establish what is needed.
Cllr Hazel Smyth suggested the planting of sensory gardens in playgrounds and recommended that should be considered in planning new playgrounds for Kinnegad and Castlepollard. “Everyone should have equal access to public facilities and particularly children to playgrounds,” she said.
Cllr Andrew Duncan said accessible benches for adults accompanying children to playgrounds should be provided.
The community groups who took on the task of providing 15 playgrounds around the county were applauded by Cllr Frankie Keena, who expressed the hope that funding would be provided to those groups to ensure they can provide accessible equipment.
They should be given financial support to upgrade and maintain playgrounds to the highest level and to get new equipment, he said.
Cllr John Dolan said he had previously called for communications boards in playgrounds and asked that they be provided throughout the county. He said he was involved in providing a wheelchair accessible swing in St Hilda’s in Athlone. In his local playground a number of pieces of equipment got broken and there is no money to replace them. He asked that the council set aside a fund for such replacements each year.
Mark Keaveney, director of service, assured the members that the council would look at the feasibility of providing improvements in accessibility in playgrounds and try to identify funding sources. He pointed out that there are various grants and schemes available to the council and community groups and the council would look at the best way of doing it.
Annette Barr Jordan, administrative officer with the council, said it is working with community groups to identify what is available in the various playgrounds, and they would try to target playgrounds that do not have accessible equipment and need upgrades.
In reply to Cllr Wallace, Ms Barr Jordan said all of the council’s playgrounds bar one, in Burgess Park, Athlone, have disability access equipment and the council will be examining that. Some playgrounds have between two and six pieces of accessible equipment and the council will be working to improve the situation, she said.