Cllr Isobel Ballsdon wrote:
Albert Road Recreation Ground should be accessible to everyone — but right now, it isn’t.
Caversham Heights Cubs and I are petitioning Reading Borough Council to make vital improvements so that all residents, regardless of ability, can enjoy this important community space.
Here are some of the barriers currently in place:
* Wheelchair users can’t get through the pedestrian gate on Richmond Road
* Slanted pavements on Albert Road make pushing a wheelchair extremely difficult
* There is no longer a single disabled parking bay in the car park
* The playground has no formal paths, making access hard for wheelchair users and those with buggies
* None of the playground equipment meets the needs of children with disabilities
* Wooden boarding surrounds the play equipment to keep wood chippings/sand in place. These surfaces are unsuitable for wheelchairs, and the fact these areas are raised keeps children with mobility issues out.
Last year, Caversham Heights Cubs shared their concerns with me and showed me first-hand the obstacles preventing less able children from playing alongside their siblings and friends. That isn’t right — and it needs to change.
Everyone deserves access to safe, welcoming public spaces.
Please support our petition and help us call on the Council to make Albert Road Recreation Ground accessible for all.
