Hollywood, Florida is one of the first cities (if not the very first?), in the state, to make the beach experience much friendlier and accommodating to wheelchair users.
The blue platstic mats have undergone a two year trial and the cities is adding additional mats at select locations along the 2 mile stretch of Hollywood Beach.
Manuel Pila, communications manager for Hollywood’s Community Redevelopment Agency says that the blue mats make a lot of peopel happy, “Wheelchair users routinely share the mats with moms pushing strollers, and barefoot beachgoers appreciate that they don’t get their feet hot in the sun.”
Many other cities in Broward and even the County itself have either acquired or expressed interest in them as well, Pila said.
The Mobi-Mat RecPaths allow easy access for wheeled carts, carraiges and wheelchairs to access the middle of the beach where sand is usually a barrier to reaching for these types of devices. It makes a huge difference to disabled tourists who are aware of them.
In February 2009, the city installed four mats on the sand in Hollywood beach’s commercial district at Tyler, New York, Johnson and Connecticut streets. They meet ADA requirements, range from 50 to 82 feet in length, are stapled into the ground and end about 30 feet from the water.
The initial cost to the CRA was $50,000. They have had to replace four due to damage or vandalism, and keeps four for backup needs, Pila said.
Hollywood was the first in the state to get a Department of Environmental Protection beach permit for placing the mats.
Due to concerns about turtle-nesting season, and possible impact, the mats were closely monitored adn the county has confirmed that they do not pose any adverse impact to wildlife during the two-year pilot program.
The city hopes to be approved for more permits to install additional mats in a more residential southern stretch of the beach between Harrison and Jefferson streets.
A move in the right direction for a providng a full beach experience availabe to all.
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