by Lorraine Nadeau

Access to the beach has taken on a new dimension at Lakeside Park in St. Catharines thanks to the addition of a Mobi Mat. A Mobi Mat is a portable walkway that sits on top the sand and creates an accessible path down to the water. While Lakeside Park is a regular destination for P.E.T. outings, this past trip was highlighted by the fact that our consumers using wheelchairs and with limited mobility were able to stroll out onto the beach and sit at the water’s edge.

 

Pictured here are Liane Roberts and Sarah Hamlin, two P.E.T. consumers who have never been able to go out onto the beach before.  They were all smiles and enjoyed being able to easily wheel out onto the beach for the first time.  While we were there, it was clear we weren’t the only ones enjoying the beach’s new feature. The accessible pathway was also actively being used by other beach goers including seniors, children and moms with strollers, all of whom were just as pleased with the ease of access.

A first for the region, the city wants to add other Mobi Mats to its beaches, and is looking for community partners to help support some of the costs. In addition to the Mobi Mat, the City of St. Catharines is stated to renovate the out-dated washrooms with increased accessibility and build a new pavilion so our future visits will be even more enjoyable.

The Personal Effectiveness Training Program (P.E.T.) is a therapeutic day activity program designed to enhance the quality of life of adults with disabilities and/or acquired brain injuries.  The program provides structured activities that promote the development of social, cognitive, physical and emotional skills that will lead to increased independence and community integration. The program is delivered in partnership by March of Dimes Canada and Brain Injury Community Re-Entry. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/MODCPET