A petition, with 70 signatures, has been received by Gosford Council from residents asking for Mobi-Mats to be installed on beaches around the Central Coast to increase access for community members with physical disabilities.
The petitioners stated that the French-designed Mobi- Mats had many benefits and would increase meaning in life for a significant amount of community members. Mobi-Mats are portable polyester mats which when laid provide a firm, safe and stable surface which is continuous with no gaps. They can be used to connect car parks, walkways and ramps to the sand and the water’s edge. They are useful for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walkers, people using strollers, crutches or canes and those who find it hard to negotiate the uneven surface of the sand.
They are permeable with a cool surface which is comfortable for bare feet and reduces the risk of injury commonly caused by splintered wooden boards and exposed nails. Petitioners said the mats were low maintenance and environmentally friendly, made of 100 per cent recycled polyester. They are lightweight and easy to install by two people in 10 minutes. Petitioners said this would allow council to take the Mobi-Mats into the community as required including the lake’s edge, parks and for special events.
Gosford Council Agenda
P.17,27 May 2014