Dubai: The civic body on Sunday announced that it intends to have disabled-friendly parks throughout the city by the end of 2016, in a bid to make the entire city a disabled-friendly one by 2020.
As part of Dubai Municipality’s strategy in making the emirate a friendly one for people with disabilities, 20 per cent of each park, theme park and square will be easily accessible to those in wheelchairs, the blind, or those with other disabilities.
The project is expected to start in October and to be completed within two years, and will include all the major theme parks and residential areas in the emirate.
“We have already paid considerable attention to the specifications of buildings and other facilities, such as streets and markets, and now parks are the next category under our focus,” said Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality.
“To create disabled-friendly parks, all exits and entrances will have smooth floors to help the movement of wheelchairs, and there will be special games and rides dedicated to them. Toilets and restaurants will also have to be modified, and all the other types of services will cater to children with or without disabilities,” said Lootah.
The municipality last month introduced floating wheelchairs for people with special needs, and plans to expand its services to Jumeirah Beach Park. Within the next few years, more types of equipment are expected to make their way throughout parks, where special equipment, gear and free wheelchairs will be made available to all disabled park-goers.
“We are keen to provide all the necessary facilities to people with disabilities, and our inspectors are always on duty to ensure that the rules are not broken, such as having dedicated parking spots,” he said.
