May Park improvements

Horsham Rural City mayor Pam Clarke has officially opened a Horsham May Park revitalisation project, including a new state-of-the-art toilet facility.

Historic May Park, surrounded by palm trees, is a popular spot for Horsham district picnickers and as a stop for Western Highway travellers.

The Changing Places facility is a largerthan-standard accessible toilet and has extra features such as a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench and a tracking hoist system.

Horsham Rural City Council and the State Government provided money for the project.

Other improvements include accessible parking bays, new rubber soft-fall paths and all-ability upgrades to a playground.

Horsham council community wellbeing director Kevin O’brien said Changing Places facilities enabled people with severe and profound disabilities, their families and carers to participate in all aspects of life.

“For people with profound and severe disabilities, structural barriers, such as a lack of accessible public infrastructure, prevents them from being able to participate in community life,” he said.

“Many people with high-support needs find it difficult to leave the house for more than a few hours, so they avoid accessing the community for a range of everyday situations that we all take for granted.

“May Park is a popular rest stop on the Western Highway, between Melbourne and Adelaide, and now more people can go out for longer and do the things they enjoy.”

Mr O’brien said people could apply for a Master Locksmiths Access Key, MLAK, which would open all Changing Places in Australia.

“The MLAK is a master key that fits into specially designed locks allowing 24-hour access to any registered Changing Places facility across the country,” he said.

People wanting to apply for a Master Locksmiths Access Key can call Horsham Rural City Council’s customer service team on 5382 9777, email council@hrcc.vic.gov.au, or download an application from the council website, hrcc.vic.gov.au.