Are you involved in the design of Swimming pools? - Minister for State and Tourism announces grants to improve access for people with disabilities at Swimming Pools.
The Minister for State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring recently (27th August 201) announced that €4.4 million of grants will be awarded to 19 swimming pools across Ireland to make them accessible to people with disabilities. The Minister stated that the money would be used for a “range of purposes depending on the pool, including providing ramps, hoists, widening doorways or new changing facilities”.
If you are involved in the design of accessible swimming pools, O’Herlihy Access Consultancy would recommend the following:
- Consider access from the very early stage of the project. According to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) in the UK, Access for people with disabilities should be a condition of any investment and should be considered from project inception. They also note that access / inclusive design should be considered at all stages of projects including the strategic brief.
- Get your hands on Accessible Sports Facilities published by Sports England and ensure the design of the proposed works meets latest best practice. For further information click here.
- Involve end users in the design process to ensure the needs of all users are met.
- Ensure that all equipment being procured as part of the works considers accessibility in the tendering process.
- Ensure accessibility is considered after the building has been handed over. The day to day management is equally as important as the design and construction.
