Augusta Margaret River continues to lead the State as an inclusive and welcoming community for everyone, with the Shire securing six consecutive wins at the Most Accessible Communities in WA (MACWA) Awards.
The Shire of Augusta Margaret River won the ‘Major Infrastructure over $1 million’ award for the refurbishment of the Margaret River Recreation Centre, Nala Waabi Mia (Our Play House), and was presented with the Award on the 5 December.
The award category celebrates local governments that have undertaken new or upgraded buildings that go above and beyond Australian Standards and have design features that specifically consider people with disability.
The Recreation Centre project was an opportunity to set a higher standard for accessibility and functionality, enabling people to move around the centre with ease and create a more welcoming space for all community members.
Monika, a regular Recreation Centre user who is visually impaired shared what the upgrades have meant for her.
For me the refurbishment has been wonderful. Everything just flows and is very efficient. They have really done their homework on the safety aspects, and it’s very easy to get around,” Monika said.
The staff have been brilliant at explaining everything and accommodating me when I visit the centre. They even took me around the centre before everything was completely finished so I could familiarise myself with the changes. All the ramps mean I don’t need to use stairs, and membership tags allow ease of entry and avoiding queues. Everyone has been so helpful”.
“When I use the pool on my own, they set me up in a lane to swim laps and set up Windsor (my seeing eye dog) on a bright red mat at the end of the lane where he stays while I swim. The staff have a sign up to say the lane is closed so I can feel safe knowing I’ll avoid collisions with others”.
“I can’t say enough praise about the place. They’ve really put thought into it and it’s working for me,” said Monika.
One of the key upgrades to improve access was constructing the region’s first certified Changing Places Facility which includes an automated door and shower, accessible hand washing facility, roof mounted hoist, height adjustable adult changing table, accessible toilet and circulation space.
The need for a Changing Places Facility was originally acknowledged through the Shire’s Inclusive Communities Advisory Network (ICAN), a group of people who come from diverse backgrounds including people living with a disability, carers, support workers, service providers and community groups who provide valuable input into Shire plans, policies and new facilities.
ICAN identified that the nearest Changing Places Facility was located over 100kms away in Bunbury, and after several years of advocacy from ICAN and the community, the Shire received grant funding for the Changing Places Facility from the Department of Communities.
Throughout the design process, ICAN provided rigorous feedback and guidance, drawing on their expertise and lived experiences to help achieve this fantastic outcome for the community.
The new Changing Places Facility is available for both locals and visitors and is open 7 days a week during opening hours of the Recreation Centre.
In addition to the completion of Changing Places, the whole facility has been brought up to the current accessibility standards. Improvements include shifting everything to floor level, installing compliant ramps with tactile indicators, and having ‘beach’ access to the pool.
Shire President Julia Meldrum said that since the Recreation Centre reopened in April, Shire staff have been committed to further improving access and inclusion for all community members through several initiatives.
“Swim school staff have undertaken dedicated training to improve the swimming lessons experience for neurodivergent participants and also partnered with South Regional TAFE’s Migrant English Program to pilot a dedicated swimming program for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse,” she said.
“In addition, the Rec Centre team has run a small dedicated aqua-inflatable event for young neurodivergent people in the homeschool community and also in partnership with the Community Development team have offered a dedicated Friday evening social and recreational program for young people, Rec Connect, which includes dedicated chill out and quiet spaces.”
The Shire is committed to making Augusta Margaret River a great place to live for everyone and continuing to improve access and inclusion for all community members.
To find out more about the Shire’s Access and Inclusion Plan 2023 – 2027, visit: www.amrshire.wa.gov.au/access-inclusion