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• SPORTS & RECREATION NEW ABILITY SWING IN CABINTEELY PARK(DLR
www.dlrcoco.ie
SPORTS & RECREATION New Ability Swing in Cabinteely Park
Pictured above (L-R) Therese Langan (Director Community & Cultural Development) Ruairi OʼDulaing (Senior Parks Superintendent) Shane McArdle (DLR Sports Partnership Coordinator) Abby Segrave & Brian OʼDonnell (Sports Inclusion Disability Officer) Cllr Una Power (Cathaoirleach)
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Sports Partnership and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are delighted to launch their new piece of inclusive playground equipment - the Ability Swing. Located at Cabinteely Park playground, it is suitable for children with a physical disability that use a wheelchair. This new equipment is part of the Sports Inclusion Disability Programme in the County, which is an initiative that works to increase the participation of all abilities in sport and physical activity.
A visit to any local park instantly conveys the pure joy felt when swinging – you can hear children shrieking with delight as they swing higher and higher way before you see them. The wheelchair platform and swing frame enables wheelchair users to experience both the joy and the physical benefits of swinging. This sturdily constructed swing frame and wheelchair platform ensures children with limited mobility are not excluded from enjoying all aspects of swinging.
The Ability Swing is suitable for self-propelled and power wheelchairs up to 250kg and is located beside other swing sets and playground equipment so that a child with a physical disability can enjoy the activity surrounded by their friends, family and other children. It is part of a Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council initiative to provide more inclusive equipment for all abilities in parks around the County over the next few years.
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Funded by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Sport Ireland through the Dormant Accounts Fund, the Ability Swing can be accessed by a universal Radar key that also opens many disability toilets and changing areas in Ireland. Otherwise, you can use an Abloy Key to open the black lock box attached to the swing and inside you will find the Radar Key. There is also an Abloy key available from the coffee shop within the park. On the back of the swing there is a QR code that you can scan with your phone to give you instructions on its correct use.
Speaking at the official launch of the swing An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Cllr. Una Power said:
“The installation of this swing is a demonstration of this Councilʼs commitment to continuing to develop our county as a front runner in terms of the inclusion of accessible usage facilities in all areas of the public realm.” Brian O Donnell, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership, commented:
“The Ability Swing is a great step in making more inclusive places for a child with a disability to have fun and be included. In Cabinteely Park you have inclusive benches, car parking spaces, toilets and now the Ability Swing, which will add to the County Councils ethos of inclusiveness.”
