The Government has unveiled a new accessible chair lift at the National Sports Centre Aquatic Centre, aimed at making the pool more inclusive for persons with disabilities, older adults and others who require assistance entering or exiting the water.
Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors Tinee Furbert said the equipment represents a practical step towards removing barriers that can prevent people from participating in recreation and aquatic programmes.
“Accessibility is not an added convenience,” Minister Furbert said, stressing that equal access can determine whether someone is able to participate or is left on the sidelines.
The Minister said the initiative supports Bermuda’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for equal access to public facilities and participation in sport, recreation and leisure activities.
She added that accessibility should not be treated as a one-off project or an afterthought, but incorporated into the design of government policies, programmes, facilities and services.
The new lift was demonstrated by Cornell Bailey Jr., a client of the K. Margaret Carter Centre, showing how the equipment will assist users in safely accessing the pool.
Minister Furbert acknowledged that more work remains to improve accessibility across Bermuda, adding: “Today, the water is open to more of us than it was yesterday.”
