Parksville's first beach mobility mat had a successful inaugural season and city council hopes to make it an ongoing initiative and maybe even a tourist draw.
The 100-foot long "mobi-mat" provides easier beach access for people using wheelchairs, mobility scooters, families with strollers and others.
It was piloted at Parksville Bay Beach starting in late July with funding provided by Corona Canada and installation completed by city operations staff.
“Everybody uses the mat for their own personal reasons," said Ralph Tietjen of the Access Oceanside Association during a presentation to council on Nov. 4. "Maybe they just want to go barefoot. Maybe they have a little bit of walking difficulty but they don’t need a disability device or anything to make the trip."
The mats, made with reclaimed ocean-bound plastics, let users safely travel across soft sand and rocks to the hard-packed sand further down the beach.
Tietjen said he went down to the beach almost every day to see how the mat was holding up and being used.
He watched for three hours on a Sunday afternoon in early August and noted seven people using disability devices, 28 people pushing strollers and 56 people pulling wagons.
There were a total of 1,893 trips, Tietjen added.
He said the mat should be monitored daily to make sure the surface stays relatively even and free of accumulation of pebbles and seaweed, as well as safety issues such as an encroaching log or large rock. He also recommended to even out the surface weekly.
“It’s important that it be done because people are relying on an even, steady surface," Tietjen said.
Based on his observations, Tietjen estimated the city could expect the mat to require 106 hours of staff time between the start of May and the end of September.
“We would like to see the City of Parksville incorporate this as a permanent service into the five year financial plan, to benefit us, our neighbours, all our visitors,” he said and added AOA would like to donate the mat to the city.
Since eventually the mat will need to be replaced, or sections replaced, due to wear and tear, he requested the city include a $15,000 capital cost replacement in its five year plan.
“The mobi-mats work, so now we have to do everything in our power to ensure they continue to work well and provide safe access to the beach," said Mayor Doug O'Brien. "If that means allowing it in our budget, that whatever it takes, financial back up to make that happen, then that’s what we as council have to study, and you’ve given us good numbers that we can base it around."
O'Brien added that they had overcome the hurdle of learning how to set up a mobility mat on a tidal beach — and that people will be more likely to choose Parksville for a vacation because of its accessible beach.
“We’re even going to be busier next year,” he said.
Council will need to determine how the city deals with safety issues, such as a log drifting with the tide onto the mat.
“Generally speaking, we address liability through due diligence," said chief administrative officer Keeva Kehler. "We as a city can establish what our capacity is to do inspections on things like playground equipment, public services, all those kind of things."
Staff will ask council for a decision on the mobility mat's service level and then adjust as they go.
The mat is currently washed and sitting in storage until May.
