Accessible park in North Sydney levels the playing field for everyone
Nicole MacNeil's nine-year-old son Devon likes to do what many children in North Sydney, N.S., do — spend time at the playground.
"He loves the swing. He could spend hours on the swing," says MacNeil.
Up until recently, playground visits have been challenging for Devon, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. But thanks to new accessible equipment recently installed at Indian Beach, Devon is able to join in the fun.
"It means that he can go swinging, you know, use the equipment," said MacNeil. "He doesn't have to sit there and watch the other kids."
The Indian Beach Community Society recently completed a $675,000 upgrade of the waterfront facility.
"This playground and beach is the only one in Atlantic Canada, as far as I know, that combine playground and beach that's accessible. And that is just wonderful," says Marcie Shwery-Stanley, a North Sydney native and longtime advocate for people with disabilities.
Shwery-Stanley says when she first heard about the construction project, she suggested to the society it was a great opportunity to make the site accessible.
She helped the society access about $50,000 in federal and provincial funding for accessible equipment, including playground swings, two beach wheelchairs and beach mats.
"There's a lot of parents who have challenges anyway because of having children with disabilities, and nowhere to take them to enjoy leisure time. Their able-bodied children may be able to, but the other child that has a disability may not be able to enjoy that. And to me that's not acceptable in this world."
Seniors from local long-term care facilities are also using the accessible benches, picnic tables and a gazebo, which was donated by Gillis Home Building Centre, she said.
Fran Tessier, a senior who uses a wheelchair, says she's impressed by the improvements.
"The world has come a long way — or is trying to come a long way — to help the disabled. It would have been nice to have something like this when I was a little girl," she said.
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