Ensuring all Falkirk Council's buildings – offices, schools, day centres, libraries, sports centres, nurseries – are accessible to people with disabilities is being achieved through a major annual works programme.
Image: A regular Mariner Centre visitor, Irene Richardson from Redding, checks out the new lower reception counter.
Before any work is carried out every building has to be audited to find out where access needs to be made for people with disabilities – from visual impairment to dependence on a wheelchair – not just to enter the building but to be able to move within it.
Public buildings have to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act but it is regularly updated so some buildings which have already been improved need to be visited again to take account of these.
Access to the Mariner Centre has also been improved by
with new automatic doors
Recent improvements include providing ramped access to Falkirk Registrar Office, removing the kerb at the entrance to Falkirk Municipal Buildings to allow free movement for wheelchairs and the automatic doors and re-designed reception counter at the Mariner Centre.
The Council liaises with local disability groups through an access officer to identify the problems and work out the best solutions. Sometimes access can be achieved through something as simple as a ramp, but on other occasions it may be that alterations have to be made inside buildings.
Not all buildings are capable of being adapted and judgements have to be made as to what can reasonably be achieved.
Disabled access ramp at
Falkirk Council's
Municipal Buildings
However, over the past few years around 60% of buildings from which Falkirk Council delivers services have been made suitable for, and accessible to, people with disabilities.
Among the buildings that have been successfully adapted are Kinneil Museum and the Town Hall in Bo'ness, Slamannan Community Education Centre, Falkirk Cremtorium, Stenhousemuir Social Work Office, Oswald Avenue Day Centre in Grangemouth and Maddiston Family Centre.
Buildings on the programme for this year include Bonnybridge One Stop Shop, The Sign Factory in Falkirk, Denny Sports Centre, Mediation Services in Orchard Street, Falkirk and the Langlees Family Centre as well as a number of schools.
- Winter 2007 -