BRITTAS BAY WELCOMES FIRST BEACH WHEELCHAIR
WHEELCHAIR users will be able to access Brittas Bay beach with the introduction of County Wicklow’s first accessible beach wheelchair.
Wicklow Local Sports Partnership is providing the beach wheelchair at Brittas Bay North Beach thanks to funding from Healthy Ireland. Wicklow County Council and Wicklow Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) were also involved.
Aisling Hubbard, co-ordinator of Wicklow Sports Partnership, said: ‘I am delighted that there is now a beach wheelchair in Wicklow and this is the culmination of the brilliant working relationship between the sports partnership, Wicklow County Council, the LCDC and Healthy Ireland.
The wheelchair will be located at Brittas Bay North Beach where access leads directly to the beach via a tarmac path.
Speaking at the launch of the facility, Cllr Grainne McLoughlin, Chairperson of the LCDC, said it was important that Wicklow embraces the importance of inclusivity.
‘This is the first of many and hopefully, over the coming years every beach in Wicklow will be accessible for everyone, especially children. Together with the new playground in Greystones, we are at last recognising the importance of access to play areas as a norm for children with all forms of disability. Working with so many communities, I am delighted to see that Wicklow Sports Partnership is ensuring that all our children can play together,’ said Cllr McLoughlin.
The beach wheelchair will be available seven days a week from Monday to Sunday between the hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the remainder of the summer. The wheelchair can be booked through ‘The Beach Hut’ in Brittas on (0404) 47542 and is available for up to twohour periods. The last bookings are taken at 5 p.m.