Description
General objective of the project is to increase awareness and knowledge of local communities concerning modernisation of entries to beaches in line with the principles of universal design and to create individual recommendation plans for 10 municipalities in a process of public consultations. Inhabitants of those municipalities, women architects, local governments, persons with disabilities and NGOs working for them will cooperate to undertake activities for persons with disabilities. The objectives will be achieved through 3 stages of the project, including: Creation of Consultation Team, 10 Advisory Clubs, organising 10 informational and promotional meetings, performing 10 social consultations, developing 10 recommendation plans. Direct participants: 487 persons.
Summary of project results
Polish seaside beaches are not accessible for various groups of people: persons with disabilities, pregnant women, parents with small children, seniors. Every year, the Baltic coast is visited by 18 mln persons, and in 2014 only 56 of 404 beach entrances were properly adapted. Universal designing of green areas with access to waters is practically non-existent. The aim of the project was to increase the number of adapted entrances in cooperation with local inhabitants, and to enhance awareness and knowledge of local communities in 10 seaside municipalities (persons with disabilities, municipal officers, architects) on architectural accessibility, its use in modernising beach entrances, and participation in space planning. The project resulted in recommendations for 10 municipalities (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Krynica M., Międzyzdroje, Kołobrzeg, Rewal, Łeba Choczewo, Władysławowo i Jastarnia) developed with expert team and inhabitants. They include guidelines on how to modernise beach entrances to make them more accessible. In 2 localities beach entrances have already started to be modernised. Local activists participating in trainings identify architectural barriers and lobby in local offices for their elimination. Together with 10 localities, 10 education and diagnostic meetings were conducted (176 participants) and 40 trainings were organised (133 persons) to motivate local inhabitants to exert pressure on municipal authorities. The material on universal designing of green areas with access to waters and on conducting social consultations, published in 800 copies, was sent to municipal halls, marshall offices and universities throughout Poland. 10 education films were prepared on how accessible beach should look like, and an Internet page was launched. A webinary was organised on participation and consultations for municipal officers (53 views), NGO activists, participants of previous activities of the foundation, as well as a summary conference (44 persons) in Gdynia. The partners of the project, municipalities Krynica Morska and Gdynia, supplied their knowledge on official operations of local government and decision processes, as well as local contacts and promotion channels.
Summary of bilateral results