There is now more accessibility for Parlee Beach.
Guest Experience Coordinator Brendan McGuire said a mobility mat has been installed along a section of the beach.
“What it does is hardens the surface directly underneath the sand. So if you are someone who has mobility requirements, recently had a bad hip, are in a wheelchair, or using a walker, this packs down the top piece of the sand so you can easily move across the surface,” added McGuire.
This is currently a pilot project, but the hope is to extend the mat to more sections of the beach in the future.
“Right now the mat is set out in a straight line, so if I am walking out from the back washroom near the parking lot, I can walk straight out, but the idea is to make that into more of a T frame instead of people having that straight mobility, they’ll have a little latitude to the left and right as well,” McGuire mentioned.
McGuire told Acadia News that the idea was spearheaded by Dr. Ed Doherty to the Park Manager.
“Can we make it, the most accessible beach within Atlantic Canada? So it originally started with just a conversation, that idea of someone coming forward and approaching our park manager, and then park staff picked up the ball from there,” McGuire commented.
He adds they are looking at other beaches in the province where a mat like this can be used.
“The complication within New Brunswick when you look at other beaches is the tidal effect,” McGuire noted. “The Bay of Fundy, of course, presents a lot of challenges. So we do have some personnel coming up to do tidal assessments in terms of where we can best place it and where we can grant more access to other people. Right now, Parlee is that trial piece and it’s a phenomenal spot and everything else and in terms of currency, you know, warm waters and everything. It’s just the ideal tourism destination.”
