As Sorell continues to grow, it’s important that everyone can move around safely and access the resources in our community. Oliver Polzin and I put together a short video highlighting a few spots near the Jobs Hub and Council chambers that could pose challenges for people with mobility issues. This is simply to start a conversation. If there are other areas you think we should take a look at in terms of accessibility, please let us know. We sent these ideas and challenges in an email for the Council to consider (shown below).
Letter to Sorell Council
Oliver and I wrote the letter to Council to outline 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.
Accessible parking at Council chambers
Recommendations:
Add more accessible parking spaces at Council chambers
Remove or extend time limit on existing accessible spaces
Upgrade access between footpath and accessible parking with either improved ramp or level access
While there is generally ample parking around the Community Health Centre, RSL/Memorial Hall, and Council buildings, accessible parking and safe pedestrian access is comparatively limited.
There are only two accessible car parks attached to the Council building with a 15 minute time limit which is unlikely to allow time for many people eligible for a disabled parking permit* to get in and out of their vehicle and then complete their business in the building. It also assumes that people with disability are not participating in Council meetings or doing anything more complex than dropping in to pay a bill.
Extending or removing the time limit on the accessible parking spaces is unlikely to impact overall parking availability in the area, and will significantly improve opportunities for people with disability to participate in civic activities.
Additionally, the ramp from these parks to the footpath in front of the Council building does meet legal requirements as a 1:8 ratio, it is difficult to see and traverse due to the width and sloping sides. Removing the carpark ramp and lowering the footpath may make it easier to navigate between the accessible parks and the footpath, especially for people with low or no vision.
*Having a permanent disability which severely restricts their physical mobility
Pedestrian access from Cole St to Health Centre, Jobs Hub, Council chambers
Recommendations:
Provide marked pedestrian crossings between the Community Health Centre and Council building
Use signage and tactile indicators to signify the end of the footpath on the Health Centre side
Pedestrian thoroughfare from Cole St into the Community Precinct buildings and through to the Jobs and Training Hub and Services Australia buildings is poor for people with and without disability. On the Community Health Centre side, there is no marked or protected pedestrian access through the carpark to the front door; if walking past the Centre, the footpath stops abruptly with no crossing.
As the Community Precinct continues to grow and change, there will likely be an increase in pedestrian traffic as well as temporary changes to footpath access. Making sure that people can cross safely will reduce disruption during construction works, and make it easier to choose active transport; it will also improve the flow of pedestrian traffic during markets and events.
Curb cuts on Pennington Drive
Recommendations:
Square off intersections with painted lines or physical barriers to slow down cars and reduce pedestrian crossing distance
Flatten footpath corners, or move curb cuts closer to Pennington Dr and make wider
Along Pennington Drive in Sorell, there are many intersections where the curb cuts are on the intersecting road rather than in line with Pennington Drive. At the intersection of Devenish Drive this is a mere annoyance; but at steep and wide intersections like that with Dubs and Co Drive, this becomes a safety concern as well as requiring significant exertion for people using aids like wheelchairs who need to be able to control their descent down one side, do a sharp turn into and battle the camber of the intersecting road, then do another sharp turn into a steep uphill on the other side.
Images below show the situation as it stands as well as an example of potential treatment. Narrowing the radii of the corners of each intersection, either with paint or physical barriers, combined with flattening a wider area of the footpath will improve safety for both pedestrians and cars by slowing vehicle traffic and allowing people with mobility issues to take the shortest, most level route across each intersection.
