Report slams Council’s ‘scandalous’ access facilities
Thursday, 19 June 2008
BALLYMENA Councillors have said there must be improvements so people with disabilities can access leisure facilities in the Borough.
Their comments follow the publication of a worrying report by the National Playing Fields Association which highlighted bad cases of inaccessibility in some council play areas.
The report, which based its findings on two key categories, play area and equipment accessibility, gave an overall rating of 76 per cent for the Borough.
Worst offending facilities included the newly built Ecos Centre, as well as Knockan Road and Orkney Drive play areas, which each received an accessibility rating of 33 per cent.
Only three council owned lands out of 34 reviewed by the NPFA achieved a 100 per cent rating. These were Smyth Crescent, Hazelwood Crescent and Maybin Park.
On hearing the report's findings at last Monday's Development and Leisure Services Committee meeting, shocked councillors called for an immediate review of all the facilities.
Council's Leisure Services Officer, Bernie Candlish, said the issue should be prioritised including refurbishment of some areas that are almost 13-years-old.
Sinn Fein Cllr Monica Digney described the reports findings as "scandalous".
Ms Digney said: "There needs to be immediate action to resolve this. One of the facilities, the Ecos, is clearly not up to standard and this shouldn't be a problem in this day and age."
