A resident requested we (Oliver Polzin and I) look at the accessibility around the Dodges Shops (after we reviewed the accessibility around the new jobs hub and Council chambers).
Oliver and I had a quick look and identified a number of issues. Stay tuned for a more detailed video in future.
Here is a letter to Sorell Council that Oliver wrote outlining the ideas and challenges.
Good afternoon,
With the Menzies Institute Love Your Heart, Love Your Community study underway and the development of the Sorell community precinct on the horizon, we have an opportunity to optimise accessibility of public spaces for all.
We would like to draw the Council's attention to a number of accessibility issues around the Sorell Municipality that may have an outsized impact on people with disability. While most of these action items are within legal limits, the Australian Building Code encourages design features that exceed requirements and people with disability are not the only ones who benefit from this approach.
Recommendations:
Repair or replace uneven bitumen and gravel footpath sections
Widen curb cuts and align footpaths to provide level and straight paths
Add tactile indicators to signal changes in footpath direction and availability and to aid navigation on the corner of Carlton Beach Rd and Signal Hill Rd
While there are some positive accessibility features in the area around the shops in Dodges Ferry, there are also some issues that need attention. There are plenty of protected pedestrian islands with curb cuts either side which is great, but most of the curb cuts are difficult to navigate for wheelchair users and some pose tripping hazards due to being set into gravel paths which have degraded, exposing the concrete lip. The footpaths vary greatly in composition and quality throughout the area, providing a confusing navigational challenge as well as a more difficult trip for people with mobility challenges.
As the community grows, it is vital to ensure that everyone has equal access to amenities. People with disability, parents with prams, and even delivery drivers benefit from improvements like those recommended in this letter. We would encourage you to speak directly to people with disability about how to make sure Sorell is a future-proof and accessible area, and Oliver would love to take Council representatives on a walkaround of key locations to see what we could achieve.
We acknowledge and appreciate the ongoing efforts of Council and the state government to enhance accessibility across our communities.
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Warm Regards
Oliver Polzin and Kristian Horvath