Luisa Boné, City Councillor for Beaches, together with Carmen Díaz and Belén Cascales, both members of the Association Orihuela sin Barrera (Orihuela without Barriers), spoke recently about many of the activities that will take place on the Orihuela Coast during the coming high season.

The concentrated mainly on those that will be provided by the Mesa de Accesibilidad (a working group established by the Town Hall, which works for the needs of disabled people).

Boné said that in conjunction with the Rescue Service and lifeguards “we will have bathing zones for the disabled with the appropriate aids, together with helpers who are trained in rescue swimming and First Aid.

They will be sited at Cala Bosque in La Zenia, Playa de la Glea and Barranco Rubio in Campoamor and Cala Capitán in Cabo Roig”. The councillor added that: “The task of these lifeguards will be to help people with reduced mobility who come to the barrier-free bathing areas provided by the council.”

In addition, “assistance will include all the necessary services to enable users to enjoy all facilities available on the beach, from the beach bar service, to toilets or changing rooms, to bathing in the sea. Installations provided are intended exclusively for people with reduced mobility. These will consist of a platform with a pergola with foot showers and an amphibious chair”.

The councillor added that improvements will also be made to all beach walkways, the width of which will be doubled thus ensuring better accessibility. In addition “all beach bars will have menus and service booklets in Braille.”

Finally, Boné “thanked Chiringuitos del Sol, the operator of the beach bar service in Orihuela, for their initiative in implementing many of these measures and their cooperation and support in making our beaches more accessible.”