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!!!!!!!!UIVSTEBZ!NBSDI!9!3123 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 29 2012
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‘Rebuild it for us’ Tom Doudney and Samantha Early tom@mainlandpress.co.nz samantha@mainlandpress.co.nz
CHRISTCHURCH has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be become a city accessible for all, according to Accessible Christchurch, which is lobbying to make it a best-practice goal, not simply a minimum compliance issue. Accessible Christchurch wants to make the rebuilt city accessible for everyone, whether they are mothers with prams, small children, the elderly, the injured or those with disabilities. The group has been working behind the scenes with organisations like the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, Christchurch Central Development Unit and Christchurch City Council for many months. Spokesperson Andrew Olsen said the city could become an example for the rest of the world. “When you have what was a devastating set of circumstances for an entire community the sensible idea is to turn that into an opportunity to improve everybody’s lot and to use international best practice in planning and developing the new communities.” Mr Olsen said city leaders, decision makers and planners needed to make sure every opportunity was taken to ensure the city was designed to be as easy to get about and live in as is physically possible, especially with our ageing population. “If you design for the least mobile in society you make it easier for everybody.” He said it was too early to say whether we were doing a good or bad 8447651AA job of it yet, but a “big irony” would be if people in positions of power now, looked back in 20 years and thought they should have done more to address accessibility. Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said regardless of a person’s ability to move, see or hear, the city must be rebuilt as a better place for all. Merivale resident Hine Moke, who uses an electric wheelchair, said she did not want the next generation of people with disabilities to go through what she has because of inaccessible buildings or people not being aware of her needs. “Every time I need to go somewhere I have to ring and check the access. I don’t want to have to do it anymore. I want to go out with my mates like everybody else.” Accessible Christchurch’s Every Body, Every Where campaign will be launched at the Re:Start Mall on Sunday, December 2 at 10.45am with a performance by mixed-ability group Jolt Dance, which promises to deliver much more than anticipated.
Access for all: John Mystery, left, Hine Moke, Shirley Mystery and Rachel Fitt with Steele Wichman, 18 months and Charlize Wichman, 3, want Christchurch to be rebuilt as a city accessible for all people, including the elderly, wheelchair users and parents with prams. Photo: Samantha Early
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