The built environment always offers many challenges to its users, but especially for people with disabilities. The access limitations of our urban areas, as a result of poor planning and design, are largely attributed to traditional neglect of the disabled population as a minority group. However, recent data reveals a reality which is to the contrary. Moreover, this issue will be further exacerbated by a rapidly aging population.

In recent years, there has been greater recognition by government of the need to rectify accessibility barriers, and moves have been initiated to improve accessibility in building design. Yet a holistic approach has yet to be devised to remove such barriers from the public domain in totality. Urban planning must provide a built environment which facilitates the needs of people with disabilities and encourages their independence and social inclusion.

The aim of this thesis is to identify accessibility barriers within the public domain and recommend the means in which planning can play a role to rectify them. With the aid of a wheelchair and a camera, an accessibility audit was undertaken in the CBD, inner and outer areas of Metropolitan Sydney to identify barriers. Personal reflections of both physical and attitudinal barriers are also recorded.

1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I must express my gratitude to the following people, who have in different ways made the production of this thesis possible:

Dr Susan Thompson for supervising this thesis and for her key guidance, enthusiasm, inspirational drive and much support, Tammy and Ka Yan for their precious input, who provided invaluable help with image analysis, computer skills and assistance in my fieldwork observation , and more importantly, their unconditional love and support, Camryn for her consistent encouragement, direction, friendship, emotional support and contribution in fieldwork observation, Kyou and Bertha for their care and support, Ranky and Adz for their invaluable help in fieldwork observation and support, Ms Hume for helping me reviewing the thesis and offering her guidance, Adrian for his love, care, support, company, patience, helpful advice and reviewing the thesis, and My parents, my brothers and my sister for their tremendous support, unfailing love and faith in me.

2 INTRODUCTION

In considering the issue of disability in our society, the built environment is probably the most potent symbol of the exclusion of people with impairments from society. - Simon Ungar, Glasgow Caledonian University

PROBLEM SETTING

The urban environment offers many challenges to its users, but especially for those with physical, sensory or learning disabilities. These challenges often present themselves as obstacles towards full accessibility.

How significant is the issue of inaccessibility? . one may ask.

Accessibility of the built environment is a key requirement for people with disabilities to achieve greater independence, participation and social inclusion. An accessible environment, which ensures all its users can access goods and services, receive education and seek employment and recreation, is fundamental to a society that is based on equal rights and opportunities.

Moreover, the following trends indicate that disability will become a more prominent condition amongst the Australian population:

· The disabled population is no minority group. According to the Survey of Disability, Aging and Carers 2003 undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 3.9 million people in Australia had a disability1 in 2003. This figure represents 20% of the population. In other words, one in five people were suffering from a limitation, restriction or impairment of some sort that restricted everyday activity.

· The rate of disability will substantially increase in light of a rapidly aging Australian population. The prevalence of disability generally increases with age (refer to Table 1.1), due to increased exposure to accidents and risks, work related injuries and illnesses with age. In 2003, the overall disability prevalence rate was 4% for the 0-4 years old age group, 41% for the 65-69 age group and 92% for the over-90 age group. With a significant number of baby boomers reaching old age, and longer life expectancies, there is little doubt that disability rates will

1 The definition of disability in accordance with the ABS s Survey of Disability, Aging and Carers: any limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts everyday activities. Chapter 1: Introduction 3 increase significantly in the future.

Table 1.1: Disability Rates by Age and Gender (ABS 2003)

THE NEED FOR AN INCLUSIVE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

In light of the above trends, the society must prepare itself to sufficiently cater for the changing needs of its demography. One of the key new needs of the new demography would be an accessible environment.

Past designs of the urban environment often hindered and restricted access by people with disabilities. There were several contributory factors:

In the past, there were a lack of legislation and policies which protected the rights of people with disabilities In the past, professionals in the planning, design, property development, construction field were not attentive to the needs of the end user Social and attitudinal barriers possessed by the general society viewed people with disabilities as inferior and of little value (Imrie and Hall 2001)

It is this discriminatory and ignorant attitude towards people with disabilities that has led to the development of a highly inaccessible urban environment.

The most obvious barriers are those which impede or restrict access by persons with disabilities, especially if the person is wheelchair bound. There is a somewhat different category consisting of alterations which have been made for wheelchair users, but which have clearly been poorly designed and thus causing inconvenience and risks. A third type of barrier can be identified and it is relatively subtle. This refers to those places where access has been provided, but the mode of

Chapter 1: Introduction 4 access makes the wheelchair user feel like a second-class citizen. As the issue of disability becomes more prominent, design will be more important than ever.

Fortunately, societies improve. With much greater recognition of the rights of people with disability, inclusive design principles are being increasingly promoted by government bodies and activist groups, and are being swiftly incorporated into legislation and policies.

The term, inclusive design, with regards to the built environment, refer to the practice of providing access to all aspects of the built environment and community for all people. The fundamental condition is that such access should be considered as a right of all people, and not a privilege.

The role of planners, in light of this, is to ensure that the development of urban environment embraces inclusive design principles, facilitates all its users to live and pursue life freely and ensure that they all have equal rights and opportunities in the lives.

OBJECTIVES

The three chief objective of this thesis is to: · Identify needs of disabled people · Identify the barriers in several built environments within Sydney · Identify means of eliminating barriers

REASONS FOR THIS FOCUS

The contemporary planner must today deal with a wide range of different stakeholders, understand their needs and fulfil different requirements and desires. One of the minority groups that is less catered for within the demography are people with disabilities. The many basic day to day activities that abled-body people carry out in the urban environment on a day to day basis, such as freely accessing public places and making use of public amenities, are actually challenges that persons with disabilities need to tackle everyday.

My interest in the topic of disability was partly fuelled by a number of daily encounters and observations.

The most motivational event was witnessing the activities of one of my neighbours, who is wheelchair-bound. He frequently makes short trips by himself to the Maroubra Town Centre and the local park on his electric wheelchair. On numerous occasions, he was seen travelling on the road space of our street rather than on the pedestrian pathways. Upon further investigation, I

Chapter 1: Introduction 5 realise that the hilly terrain of my street and the lack of ramps along the sidewalks means that wheelchair users have no choice but to travel along the street itself.

Figure 1.1. An inaccessible footpath for people with disabilities. Wheelchair users have no choice but to travel on the road itself, increasing safety risk. Stairs are also less convenient for elderly people.

It was this observation that drove my urge to investigate how our urban environment caters for persons with disability.

This urge was further sparked by working with a property developer during my practical year of work experience. I vividly remember that a provision within a Local Environmental Plan required one of his developments to provide a minimum of 2 disabled parking spaces. These two spaces were provided at the basement level of the development. However, access to the residential units above was provided by stairs only. This led me to question why the spaces were provided in the first place. There were obviously gaps within the existing planning legislation framework. This is simply a case of satisfying requirements, with no thought given to the actual needs of certain members of the community.

As a planner, I feel our profession can do better.

METHODOLOGY

This thesis was developed through the compilation and analysis of a variety of primary and secondary resources.

Chapter 1: Introduction 6 Primary Sources A significant component of this thesis is an Accessibility Audit which I will undertake in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) within the Sydney Metropolitan Area. They are:

Sydney City LGA, representing the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney Randwick City LGA, representing Inner Sydney Hornsby Shire LGA, representing Outer Sydney

Within each of the above LGAs, the accessibility of the following aspects of the built environment will be examined:

Town Centre The public domain of a town centre within the three LGAs will be looked at. The definition of town centre for the purpose of this exercise is a commercial and retail area which contains: - Services e.g. a bank, a post office - Entertainment e.g. a cinema, a shopping centre - Rest areas e.g. a park, an open arcade - Public transport nodes e.g. a bus stop, a railway station

Recreational Area Recreational areas for the purpose of the Audit are parks, beaches or outdoor open spaces which have been detailed and/or recommended in the Councils websites. A requirement in the selection criteria is that the recreational area must be suitable for all members of a family, ideally with picnic areas and BBQ facilities.

Event Venue The venues of special events introduced on the Councils websites will also be audited. The events chosen for this audit are those that have been labelled as all welcomed , events for all and for family gatherings .

The Audit will assess how adequate the various urban environments are at accommodating wheelchair users and identify areas for improvement. This will be done through a personal documentary using a wheelchair and a camera to visually document the process. I believe that by navigating my way through the various areas in a wheelchair, it would be much easier to identify the obstacles and barriers in the built environment. Moreover, this would be a great opportunity to experience the social attitudes and barriers that people with disabilities would potentially have to endure at a daily basis.

Secondary Sources The secondary sources consist of published text, government policies and strategies and

Chapter 1: Introduction 7 graphics relevant to the topic. These sources included: Social plans from various NSW Local Councils Published data sources and information packages from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Design manuals and guidelines for barrier-free built environments Planning and building legislation and policies Legislation regarding disability discrimination and human rights Websites of disability activist groups and human rights organisations both within Australia and internationally

Subsequently to the undertaking of the audit and a review of secondary resources, an analysis would be undertaken to determine how best to design a urban environment for a diverse society and upheld social sustainability.

The core task of this thesis is to undertake the audit taking into consideration the various problems and barriers which face disabled people. Primary and secondary sources can help me to understand further the existing problems for disabled people in the built environment, as a result, an analysis can be undertaken to determine the current issues / oversights for disabled people, so we can understand more about the actual needs and demand of disabled people.

THESIS OUTLINE

Following this chapter, this thesis report is further divided into five chapters.

Chapter 2 This chapter will present a review of literature on problems associated with disability and mobility impairment. The theories of Disability Models are presented and discussed. The facts and figures regarding disability in Australia will be reviewed.

Chapter 3 Current legislation, policies and strategies relevant to people with disability and the built environment are reviewed.

Chapter 4 The findings of the Accessibility Audit are presented. Personal reflections are highlighted in this chapter.

Chapter 5 This chapter analyses the outcomes of my audit, highlighting some of the poor design issues which were common in the three LGAs. Suggestions and advice are provided based on the

Chapter 1: Introduction 8 research outcomes.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6 concludes the thesis by summing up the information compiled in the thesis.

Chapter 1: Introduction 9 DISABILITY AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

The Chapter provides some background information relating to the topic of disability. The various models of disability will be presented, followed by definitions and trends and figures. The theme of barrier-free environments will also be discussed.

MODELS OF DISABILITY

Since the 1960s and 70s, there have been fundamental shifts in the ways in which disability issues have been defined and approached (The University of Waikato, 2006). Changing social attitudes has generated more positive recognition of the status and identity of persons with disabilities and new ways of thinking about disability. Academics have devised models of disability to provide a basis upon which government and society can devise strategies for meeting the needs of disabled people.

These models provide an insight into attitudes, conceptions and prejudices of society, and how they impact on persons with disability. (The Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web)

Models (of Disability) reveal the ways in which our society provides or limits access to work, goods, services, economic influence and political power for people with disabilities. (The Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web 2006)

The three key models of disability are:

· The Moral Model · The Medical Model · The Social Model

These models are influenced by two fundamental continua of philosophies. (The Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web 2006)

The Moral Model The Moral Model is the oldest and currently the least prevalent approach of thinking about disability. It prevails in certain cultures and religions, whereby disability is regarded to be the result of sin. People with disabilities are often kept away from the outside world, ridding them of their chance of playing a meaningful role in society. Their family members often possess feelings of Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 10 shame, thus creating an even greater sense of physiological burden on them (World Institute on Disability 2006).

The Medical Model With the development of modern medicine and the enhanced role of physicians in the 18th century came a more scientific understanding of the causes of impairment, and a sense of confidence in the ability for medical science to cure people with disability.

The Medical Model locates the problems of disability in the person with the disability. It assumes that the solution to disability is to cure the person with a disability, or make them more normal . As the assessment of impairments is done in a comparative manner against what is considered to be normal and results in what one cannot do, persons with disability are thus often labelled as lacking or abnormal .

Moreover, under this model, society has no underlying responsibility to make a place for a person with disabilities, since they live as an outsider waiting to be cured. Those that are deemed to be incurable must therefore be institutionised. (United Nations Enable, 2006)

The disability movement has been critical of the medical model. The fact is that many disabilities and chronic medical conditions can never be cured. Simply reverting them to institutions and stripping them of their rights to participate in the society is completely discriminatory. Persons with disabilities are quite capable of being independent and should be given every right to pursue their desires in life.

The model demonstrates that it may not be the physical condition that limits one s mobility, but the attitudinal and physical barriers.

The Social Model of Disability More recently, there has been much greater recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities, due in part to that fact that persons with disabilities have become more vocal and assertive about their rights, and have aspired to equity and participation in society. (Clarkson, Coleman et al. 2003, 1)

Under this model, the definition of disability recognises the interactions between a disabled person and environmental/attitudinal barriers he/she may face.

The distinction is made between the definition of disability and impairment:

Impairment: The loss or limitation of physical, mental or sensory function on a long-term or

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 11 permanent basis.

Disability/Disablement: The loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in normal life of community on an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers. Disabled People s International 1981

The social model recognises that difficulties and problems experienced by persons with disabilities are a result of the inability of society to adjust to the needs and desires of the disabled community. In order to improve their quality of life and provide them with the equal opportunities, physical, attitudinal and institutional barriers must be removed. (The Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web, 2006)

TERMS & DEFINITIONS OF DISABILITY

Definition of Disability According to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and used in Australia, disability is an umbrella term for any or all of the components: impairment, activity limitation and participation restriction, as influenced by environmental factors (Healey 2005: 1).

- Situation of possessing an actual physical, mental or other impairments - For the purpose of this thesis, it is to describe the widespread phenomena of people being unable to do things in society because the society itself has failed to reconstruct itself in all possible ways to ensure that individual impairments are not a barrier to their full participation (Green Party of England & Wales, 1993)

People with disability might experience inconvenience and difficulties in their lives. Therefore, they need some assistance with various daily activities such as transport, meal preparation, property maintenance etc. According to 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, four levels of core activity limitation for disabled people were determined. This is based on whether a person needs personal assistance with, has difficulty with, or uses aids or equipment for any of the core activities (ABS 2006).

Disability Groups Under the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare s Disability and Disability Services in Australia (January 2006).

Physical Disability is associated with impairments which results in some degree of restricted

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 12 activity in areas of mobility and manipulation. The conditions that result in physical disability include spinal cord injury, arthritis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury and other conditions of the muscular, nervous and respiratory systems. The range of extent of activity limitation and participation restriction will vary with the extent of the impairment and environmental factors. Environmental adjustments are related to

Intellectual Conditions which is caused by various genetic disorders

Psychiatric associated with clinically recognisable symptoms and behaviour patterns associated with distress that may impair personal functioning in normal social activity. Underlying medical conditions include schizophrenia, phobias, neuroses

Sensory/Speech impairment of sight, hearing and speech. Activity limitations will occur in a number of areas such as communication and mobility. A specific range of environmental factors will affect the level of disability experienced by people in this grouping.

For the purpose of this thesis, I will be focusing on persons with physical disabilities.

Core Activity Limitation Core activity limitation refers to a limitation in core activities such as self care, communication or mobility. The levels of severity of such limitations are: mild, moderate, severe and profound.

MILD - Having no difficulty performing a core activity but using aids or equipment because of disability

MODERATE - Not needing assistance, but having difficulty performing a core activity

SEVERE - Sometimes needing assistance to perform a core activity

PROFOUND - Unable to perform a core activity or always needing assistance

FACTS AND FIGURES OF DISABILITY

A significant source of data regarding disability is cumulated in the Australian Bureau of Statistic

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 13 (ABS) Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of Findings (2003). Below is a summary of the survey s findings:

· 1 in 5 people in Australia had a reported disability. This equates to a disabled population of 3,958,300. This rate was much the same for males (19.8%) and females (20.1%). There was little change in the disability rate between 1998 (20.1%) and 2003 (20.0%)

· Of all these, 3,001,900 have either a severe or profound core-activity limitation

· Disability rate increased with age. In 2003, slightly over half of all persons within Australia aged 65 years and over had a disability, with 19% with a profound or severe core-activity limitation. The rate of disability amongst persons over 90 years and over increased to 92% for persons.

· Physical conditions were the most common main health conditions of persons with a disability (84%). The remaining 16% had a mental or behavioural disorder as their main condition (Healey 2005:8)

· Of all people aged 60 year and over, 41% reported needing assistance, because of disability or old age, to manage health conditions or cope with everyday activities. However, people aged 85 years and over reported a much higher need for assistance than those aged 60-69 years (84% compared with 26%) (Healey 2005:6)

· Physical /diverse disabilities were the most prevalent, whichever of the four estimates is considered (Table 1). Based on consideration of all reported conditions, 2,043,400 people aged under 65 years reported one or more physical / diverse disabilities (12% of the population of that age). Of these, 1,995,300 also reported one or more activity limitations or participation restrictions (12% of the under 65 population) and, using the narrowest scope, 512,600 (3.0%) had a profound or severe core activity limitation (AIHW)

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 14 Table 2.1: Estimates of main disability groups in Australia, 2003

BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT

According to Haber and Blank (1992), there are three interrelated components that make up a truly barrier-free environment. These include the private domain (the home and its immediate surroundings), the public domain (recreational, social, and commercial activities), and the linkage between them (Figure 2.2).

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 15 Private Domain Linkage Public Domain

Educational Public Housing Train Bus Car Taxi Medical Private Housing Special transport Commercial Pedestrian walkways Recreational Social Service Community

Figure2.2: Linkage between Private Domain and Public Domain

Source: Haber & Blank 1992: 107

Barrier free environments maximise accessibility and promote mobility and independence. An accessible environment is able to enrich a person s potential for feeling positive. (The Board of Management of Spastic Centres of SA, 1992: 16).

Accessibility and mobility are two inseparable aspects related to designing for the disabled. Haber & Blank 1992, 107

In order to provide for true accessibility and mobility, planners have to ensure that the built environment offers opportunities for disabled people to socially interact with others, to contribute to the society and achieve independence.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF BARRIER-FREE ENVIRONMENT

Here are some of basic design guidelines and design principles for barrier-free environment. These guidelines can be divided by two categories: (1) Urban Design Consideration and (2) Architectural Design Consideration.

Urban Design Consideration Clear signs with symbols, text and directional arrows should be in place in the public domain Accessible amenities should be designed for the convenience of people with disabilities such as public telephones, water fountains, newspaper kiosks (United Nations Enable 2006) Clear, obstruction-free, level and wide pathways should be provided for the convenience of all users (United Nations Enable 2006) Changes in level between the pavement and the road surface should be minimised. Kerb ramps should be used wherever there is a difference in level on pedestrian paths or cross

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 16 paths (United Nations Enable 2006) Safe and independent pedestrian crossing should be provided with even road surface, guide strips and warning markings (United Nations Enable 2006) Accessible parking facilities should be provided as close as to the point of destination, with a sufficient width of parking aisle, with sufficient provision and labelling (United Nations Enable 2006) Adequate railings should be installed on both sides along ramp

Architectural Design Consideration Ramps beside steps leading up or down to a building (Haber & Blank 1992: 207) Automatic doors should be provided and opened before a person gets near them (Haber & Blank 1992: 207) Doors in all occasions are wide enough for wheelchair entry and exit (Haber & Blank 1992: 207) Clear signs indicating the location of hallways, rooms and in particular, elevators and exits (Haber & Blank 1992: 207) The doors and entrances of toilets should be large enough for wheelchair users, so the wheelchair has room to both enter and turn around inside (Haber & Blank 1992:207) Well-dimensioned elevators should be provided with adequate space inside and wide entry doors (United Nations Enable 2006)

SUMMARY

The Social Model of Disability recognises that the problems experienced by a person with disabilities is due to the inability of society to adjust to the needs and desires of the disabled community. Equal opportunities can be achieved if physical, attitudinal and institutional barriers are removed. Disability rate increased with age. The barrier free environment should be access for all - the public domain and private domain should have some transport network or good design street furniture connect to each others.

Chapter 2: Disability and the Built Environment 17 LEGISLATION AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

The Australian Government is a signatory to several international agreements that oblige it to address discrimination based on disabilities. There are numerous pieces of legislation, policies, standards which seek to enhance the accessibility of people with disabilities within the built environment. How each of these documents seek to ensure a barrier free urban environment will be discussed.

THE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT

The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992 is a piece of legislation that provides protection against discrimination based on disabilities. The DDA also protects the associates of people with disabilities, such as their partners, relatives, friends, carers and co-workers, against discrimination as a result of this association.

The DDA makes it unlawful to discriminate a person on the grounds of disability in the following aspects of areas of life : · Employment · Education · Accommodation · Sport · Clubs and Associations · Access to and use of premises used by the public

Under Part 2, Division 2, Section 23 of the DDA, it is stated that:

Section 23 - Access to Premises

(1) It is unlawful for a person to discriminate against another person on the ground of the other person s disability or a disability of any of that other person s associates:

(a) by refusing to allow the other person access to, or the use of, any premises that the public or a section of the public is entitled or allowed to enter or use (whether for payment or not); or

(b) in the terms or conditions on which the first-mentioned person is prepared to allow the other person access to, or the use of, any such premises; or

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 18 (d) by refusing to allow the other person the use of any facilities in such premises that the public or a section of the public is entitled or allowed to use (whether for payment or not); or

(e) in the terms or conditions on which the first-mentioned person is prepared to allow the other person the use of any such facilities; or

(f) by requiring the other person to leave such premises or cease to use such facilities.

In essence, section 23 of the DDA makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of disability in the provision of access and use of premises. The DDA s definition of premises is very broad, and includes:

· a structure, building, aircraft, vehicle or vessel; and · a place (whether enclosed or built on or not); and · a part of a premises (Section 4, DDA)

In fact, any part of the built environment' that the public is entitled, or allowed, to enter or use falls within the definition (Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2006). This includes places which are under construction.

The enforcement of the DDA is largely dependent on individual complaints. If an individual feels that he/she has been aggrieved by discrimination as a result of inadequate access to a premise, he/she can lodge a complaint with the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), as provided by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986. The complaint will then be handled by the Commission, and a reconciliation process will be commenced in an attempt to resolve the compliant and reach an agreement. If the reconciliation process is not successful, the complainant can then take the matter to the Federal Court of Australia or the Federal Magistrates Services for determination.

The DDA also provides for the making of subordinate regulation in the form of disability standards. Section 31 of the DDA gives powers to the Attorney General to formulate disability standards for the purposes of (Productivity Commission, 2006):

· setting out the implicit requirements of the DDA · specify the steps necessary to comply with the DDA to reduce uncertainty for potential complainants and respondents · detailing specific measures which facilitate access and participation by people with disabilities

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 19 · establishing a timetable for the full compliance with the DDA · encouraging the use of voluntary action plans to meet the established timeframes · enabling input from interested parties

Disability standards have the objection of reducing the reliance on the DDA s complaint mechanism, as they provide much more detailed information, and thus greater certainty for individuals and parties covered by the DDA.

THE BUILDING CODE OF AUSTRALIA (BCA)

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is produced and maintained by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) on behalf of the Commonwealth Government, in conjunction with the eight State and Territory Governments who each have statutory responsibility for building control and regulation within their jurisdiction. The BCA is a national code, which is administered at a State and Territory Level. It has been recently revised, and the BCA 2006 came into effect in all States on 1 May 2006.

The BCA is a comprehensive set of performance and technical requirements related to the design and construction of buildings and other structures throughout Australia. The performance requirements, which can be considered as minimum requirements , must be satisfied by the design and the construction of new buildings and structures, and the requirements vary according to their classification (refer to Table 3.1).

Classifications Type of Buildings

Class 1 Residential dwellings, boarding house, guest house or hostel Class 2 Residential dwelling of two or more sole occupancy units Class 3 Residential building motel, hotel, or residential part of institution Class 4 A single dwelling in a building that is Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 Class 5 An office building for commercial purposes Class 6 A shop or other building for retail service to public Class 7 A car park or wholesale storage buildings Class 8 A laboratory or production trade premises Class 9 A public building of health care, assembly or school Class 10 Non habitable building such as garage, shed, fence, mast or swimming pool

Table 3.1 The Types of Buildings under each Classification

Volume 1 covers Class 2 to Class 9 buildings, and volume 2 covers Class 1 and Class 10 buildings.

The performance requirements can be satisfied in three ways:

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 20 · Meeting the Deem to Satisfy Provisions, which are the detailed technical requirements within the BCA · Developing an Alternative Solution that can be demonstrated as capable of meeting the performance requirements, or · A combination of both.

Section D of the BCA covers aspects of access and egress:

D01 The Objective of this Section is to - (a) provide, as far as is reasonable , people with safe, equitable and dignified access to (i) a building; and (ii) the services and facilities within a building (b) safeguard occupants from illness or injury while evacuating in an emergency

Part D3 of the BCA covers the area of access for people with disabilities.

The Deem-to-Satisfy Provisions are referred to in Clause D3.0(a), while Alternative Solutions are specified in Clause D3.0(b). Clause D3.2 specifies the general building access requirements:

D3.2 General Building Access Requirements (a) Buildings must be accessible as required by Table D3.2 (b) Parts of buildings required to be accessible must comply with this Part and AS 1428.1 (c) External access to a building required to be accessible must in accordance with this Part and AS 1428.1 and must be provided (i) from the allotment boundary at the main points of entry; and (ii) from any accessible carparking space on the allotment in accordance with D3.5; and (iii) from any adjacent and associated accessible building on the allotment; and (iv) through the principal public entrance.

As can be seen above, the requirements in the BCA seek to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities to enter and exit buildings. However, as the name implies, the BCA is specific to the design of buildings only and therefore does not indicate measures to address accessibility in many other areas of the built environment, including the public urban domain.

AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS (AS)

Australian Standards (AS) are published by Standards Australia and provide minimum standards for construction. These are called up under Federal and State legislation, as well as Local

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 21 Government by laws regarding the construction of new buildings. Australian Standards are also called up in the BCA.

There are multiple Australian Standards which consider design and access issues for people with disabilities. However, most relevant for the purposes of this thesis is AS 1428: Design for Access and Mobility. This series of Australian Standards provides design requirements for buildings to encompass the specific needs of people with disabilities. The series contains the following standards:

Standard Title

AS 1428.1 2001 Design for access and mobility - General requirements for access - New building work AS 1428.2 1992 Design for access and mobility - Enhanced and additional requirements - Buildings and facilities AS 1428.3 1992 Design for access and mobility - Requirements for children and adolescents with physical disabilities AS/NZS 1428.4: 2002 Design for access and mobility - Tactile indicators

Australian Standards applies to new building works only.

DISABILITY STANDARDS FOR ACCESS TO PREMISES

Despite the existence of the DDA and BCA, there is currently no certainty that a building constructed in accordance with the BCA is sufficient to avoid a complaint under the DDA (DIPNR, 2006). Hence in 2000, the Commonwealth Government amended the DDA to allow the development of the Disability Standards for Access to Premises (Premises Standard).

The Premises Standard aims to provide greater certainty to owners and developers about their obligations under the DDA, by improving clarity and consistency between the DDA and the BCA. The Premises Standard will clearly define the level of access that must be provided in the built environment in order to meet DDA requirements. The BCA will also be amended to reflect the content of the Premises Standard, hence this means that satisfying the provisions of the BCA is equivalent to meeting the requirements of the Premises Standard and therefore satisfying the objectives of the DDA.

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT 1979

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EP&A) 1979 provides a means of formal assessment of development proposals. The EP&A Act does not specifically refer to requirements

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 22 to provide accessibility for people of disabilities. However, section 79C(1) Matters for Consideration outlines the matters that need to be evaluated prior to determining a Development Application (DA). The matter listed in sub-section (e) is:

79C Evaluation (1) Matters for Consideration In determining a development application, a consent authority is to take into consideration such of the following matters as are of relevance to the development the subject of the development application: (e) the public interest

This presence of this provision means that the interest of people with disabilities should be considered in a DA assessment process. This interest would obviously include access to the proposed development. However, the term public interest has not been defined or specifically spelt out. In assessing DAs, there will generally be a large number of issues that need to be considered, and disabled access could potentially be overlooked in the assessment.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993

The New South Wales Local Government Act 1993 also specifies the matters for consideration in determining development applications. Section 89(2) and (3) states that:

82 Matters for consideration (2) If no requirements are prescribed for the purposes of subsection (1) (a), and no criteria are adopted for the purposes of subsection (1) (b), the council in determining an application: (a) is to take into consideration, in addition to the principles of ecologically sustainable development, all matters relevant to the application, and (b) is to seek to give effect to the applicant s objectives to the extent to which they are compatible with the public interest.

(3) Without limiting subsection (2), in considering the public interest the matters the council is to consider include: (a) protection of the environment, and (b) protection of public health, safety and convenience, and (c) any items of cultural and heritage significance which might be affected.

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 23 Again, the Local Government Act requires that the public interest be considered in the assessment of a DA, and similar to argument presented before, disabled assess could easily be overlooked as a public interest.

Summary · There are various pieces of legislation that seek to address the issue of accessibility by people with disabilities within the built environment. · Governments are working to improve legislation to further enhance accessibility issues. · However, it appears there is still significant work to be done, especially with regards to accessibility in the general public domain.

Chapter 3: Legislation and Policy Framework 24 THE WHEELCHAIR AND I: A DOCUMENTARY

This chapter describes the methodology of the accessibility audit and presents its findings.

A substantial component of the accessibility audit is the fieldwork observations which were carried out within different urban environments within the three Local Government Areas (LGA). They were the:

Sydney City LGA, representing the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney Randwick City LGA, representing Inner Sydney Hornsby Shire LGA, representing Outer Sydney

The audit is based on a personal documentary carried out using a wheelchair and a camera to visually document the process. The aspects of the built environment which were investigated as part of the audit include:

the public domains, recreation places, and event venues (refer to Table 4.1)

Public Domain Recreation Event Sydney City *Town Hall CBD *Pyrmont Point Park *City Night Market LGA *Darling Harbour *Surry Hills Festival (CBD)

Randwick City *Randwick Junction *Coogee Beach *2006 Wallabies Fan LGA *Maroubra Town Day (Inner Sydney) Centre

Hornsby Shire *Hornsby Town *Fagan Park *Asquith Public LGA Centre *Crossland Reserve School Country (Outer Sydney) Harvest Fair and Market Table 4.1: Journey of the Audit

Methodology The fieldwork exercises involved either my volunteers or myself, sitting in a wheelchair, navigating through the built environment.

The audit covers the design, features and issues of urban design which affect the accessibility in

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 25 the built environment, such as the availability of disabled parking, accessible toilets, kerb ramps, and dimension of footpaths, quality of pavings etc. Fieldwork observations can be affected by the time of the day and the weather, for example, the colour contrast of the road surface and general illumination of the environment might be different from time to time (Sawyer & Bright 2004,25). Therefore, most of the fieldwork observation are done on day time and sunny day, except the City Night Market and Surry Hills Festival which were carried out on a rainy day.

In order to ease the data collection process whilst on site, a checklist was prepared and used during the fieldwork (refer to Appendix 1).

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 26 SYDNEY CBD

Dates a) 2 June 2006 b) 13 June 2006 Time a) 12:00pm 2:20pm b) 2:00pm 4:15pm Weather a) Overcast b) Good

THE CBD

The heart of Sydney, the Central Business District (CBD)(Figure 4.1) is home to major shopping centres, hotels and entertainment venues, and many important financial and business institutions. (Sydney City Council)

Figure 4.1: Map of the CBD & Audit Route

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 27 PARKING

Large Dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces · None Available

Normal Dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces · Most parking facilities within the CBD have dedicated disabled spaces · x 3 on Sussex Street · x 2 on Clarence Street · x 1 on York Street · x 2 on Pitt Street · x 1 on Campbell Street

Non-Dedicated Parking Spaces · There are various parking facilities within the CBD · On-street Parking is available on George Street, Kent Street, Sussex Street, Liverpool Street, Bathurst Street and Druitt Street

Comments ü The number of disabled parking spaces in the CBD is considered to be sufficient û On street disabled parking spaces are indicated by signs on a street pole. Perhaps if a blue & white wheelchair logo was painted on the ground, it would be more easily identified.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail · There are numerous train stations at the CBD providing services to various parts of the Sydney Metropolitan Area: · Central Station · Town Hall Station · Wynyard Station · Circular Quay Station · Martin Place Station

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 28 · St James Station · Museum Station · Refer to Central to Town Hall Rail Trip below

Bus · Most STA bus services provide services between the CBD and the inner city, north shore, northern beaches, eastern suburbs and other regional centres such as Parramatta, Hurstville, Burwood etc. · STA s Sydney Bus Fleet is 35% Wheelchair Accessible · There are at least 30 bus routes at the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) which go to the airport, inner city areas, western suburbs and North Sydney. · All bus stops have weather shelters. Bus stops not covered by awnings of adjacent buildings will have glass enclosed shelters by JCDecaux (Figure 4.2 & 4.3).

Figure 4.2 Figure 4.3

Light Rail · Light Rail services runs between the CBD to Lilyfield, with various stops at Pyrmont and Glebe. · All Light Rail Stations have either lift or ramp access. · The doors of the Light Rail cars are level with the platform, enabling wheelchair users to board and alight safely and conveniently. · Tactile tiles are provided on the platform for the visually impaired.

Monorail · The Monorail Service provides access to various parts of the CBD including Darling

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 29 Harbour and Chinatown, QVB and Pitt Street Mall. · All Monorail Stations have lift access. · However, the price of the services is considered fairly expensive. The monorail is generally considered to be more of a tourist attraction. Taxis · Taxi ranks are located at numerous locations within the CBD including Central Station, Market Street, Pitt Street and George Street. · Accessible taxis can be frequently seen in the CBD.

Facilities at Town Hall Station There are lots of facilities at Town Hall station including : Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) are reachable by wheelchair users (refer to Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4 Figure 4.5

Lifts provides wheelchair access to certain platforms. However, Town Hall Station is only partially accessible. (refer to Figure 4.5)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 30 Figure 4.6 Figure 4.7

Portable platform to train ramps facilitates wheelchair users to board and alight trains. (refer to Figure 4.6)

Accessible toilet cubicles are only available in the male toilet. In requesting access to the toilet, the staff offered to clear the male toilet for me to use. (refer to Figure 4.7)

Comments ü There is a wide range of public transport service within the CBD, which is as expected. ü Most services do provide disabled access. ü Most transit stations and stops have amenities such as shelters and seating. û However, wheelchair bound users may have to wait longer for accessible buses and taxis, as not every bus or taxi is wheelchair accessible.

PUBLIC TOILETS

· There are plenty of accessible toilets within the CBD. However, during my trip I did not come across any of them! · Most of these accessible toilets are located within the shopping centres

Comments ü It is convenient for persons with disability to find a toilet in the CBD

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 31 PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Sidewalks and Footpaths The width of the sidewalks meant that streetside amenities such as seating, street bins, plant boxes and bollards did not become obstacles Sidewalks on George Street are mostly tiled. The surfaces are generally slip resistant and fairly level On local streets, the sidewalks may be blocked by rubbish bins (refer to Figure 4.8)

Figure 4.8 Figure 4.9

· On the day, works were being carried out to the sidewalk on George Street just south of Bathurst Street. The width of the passageway could accommodate a wheelchair to pass through, with pedestrians from the opposite direction either stopping to give way, or squeezing through (refer to Figure 4.9) · Pitt Street Mall is wheelchair-friendly. Shop entries are stepless and wide. Amenities such as bins and seating are offset to either side of the mall. The pavement tiles are slip resistant when dry. However, from experience, the surface can get a little slippery in the rain (refer to Figure 4.10)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 32 Figure 4.10

· On Goulburn Street, some of the sidewalk surfaces are uneven, filled with potholes and cracks. The poor condition causes great discomfort to wheelchair users (Figure 4.11)

Figure 4.11

Kerb Ramps · Kerb ramps along major roadways provide a smooth transition between road and pathway (refer to Figure 4.12). · Surface of kerb ramps of the same colour. · Placement of kerb ramps are in certain locations are not ideal. (refer to Figure 4.13)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 33 Figure 4.12 Figure 4.13

· Wooden boards with green anti-slip mats serves as kerb ramps when works are being done to the sidewalks. There is just sufficient space for a wheelchair to get through (refer to Figure 4.14)

Figure 4.14

Crossings · There are no zebra crossings within the CBD. Crossings are provided at traffic intersections · There are high levels of traffic in the CBD, but wheelchair users can safely cross on green signals

Seating and Rest Areas · Rest areas can be found at Sydney Square (outside of Town Hall) and outside of Pitt Street Mall. Seatings is provided in these areas. · Circular seating may make inconvenience to wheelchair users (refer to Figure 4.15) · Bench seating makes wheelchair users stand out less (refer to Figure 4.16)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 34 Figure 4.15 Figure 4.16

Comments ü Width of sidewalks on main streets do not pose a problem for wheelchair users at all ü Adequate space has been provided for wheelchair users even when works are being undertaken on sidewalks û Sidewalks within the CBD ought to be paved and maintained regularly as required û Some obstacles such as wheelie bins may cause inconvenience to wheelchair users. Council should perhaps alert businesses and households to be mindful of where they place/store their bins. ü Ramp kerb are gently sloped and is fairly wide for wheelchair use ü Construction management has taken care of the needs of disabled pedestrians, by providing temporary kerb ramps next to the construction site û The kerb ramp could do with more contrasting colours and surface textures for wheelchair users to more conveniently identify the sloping section û Seating design should be more inclusive of wheelchair users

FACILITIES IN THE CBD

Public Telephone · Public telephones are scattered around the CBD. They are placed at a level for wheelchair users to use conveniently.

ATM ATMs are provided outside of all banks, saving the need for wheelchairs users to enter into the bank itself. Although all ATMs are reachable by wheelchair users, some ATMs are placed too high and do cause discomfort.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 35 Kiosk

Figure 4.17 Figure 4.18

· There are a few kiosks located in CBD. However, it is very hard for wheelchair user deal with the vendor over the counter (refer to Figure 4.18) · The counter of the transit shop is particularly high. I could not even see the vendor over the counter (refer to Figure 4.17)

Bins · The location and the height of street bins are appropriate for wheelchair users

Comments û Banks perhaps need to place ATMs lower to facilitate wheelchair users û The design of kiosk would require redesign to be more accommodating to wheelchair users

QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING

Access The QVB is served by various public transport services The entrances are stepless, wide, obstacle free and wheelchair accessible (refer to Figure 4.19) The surface of the entry points is laid with red mats which are slip resistant (refer to Figure 4.20)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 36 Figure 4.19 Figure 4.20

· Lifts provide wheelchair users to all levels within the QVB. The lift doors are just wide enough to fit a wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.20). The size of the lift is just enough to accommodate a wheelchair and a handful of standing patrons.

Disabled Toilet There is only one accessible toilet in QVB, and it is located on the Lower Ground level. The accessible toilet is a stand-alone facility, and is large enough for wheelchair users to enter and manoeuvre with ease.

Parking in the Shopping Centre Disabled parking is located on the Lower Ground level and can be accessed by the lift from the other levels. There are designated parking bays for persons with disabilities near the entry points. The designated parking bays are the same size as normal parking spaces. The entrance of lift is wheelchair accessible but is very tight. Also, perhaps due to its old design, the lift does not line up with the floor, causing safety risks to wheelchair users and able persons alike.

Comments ü The QVB is generously served by public transport services. ü Considering the age of the building, wheelchair users can still navigate through the various levels with fair ease. û There is only one accessible toilet, which is located at a fairly difficult-to-access spot within the building. However, I acknowledge that the ability to provide alternative accessible toilets in the building would depend on heritage approval

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 37 SELF REFLECTION

As the heart of Sydney, I believe that an accessible urban environment is a core requirement. In my opinion, the City of Sydney Council has made a great effort to try and achieve this.

First of all, I was impressed with the disabled access information that Council has provided on their website for the benefit of people with disabilities. The Access Maps pin points where accessible amenities such as toilets, telephones, ATMs, public transport and parking spaces are located within the CBD. Persons with disabilities who frequently visit the CBD could print and carry these with them to get around more conveniently.

Access to the CBD is convenient, with various public transport options and ample provision of disabled parking. The urban environment itself has also been designed with accessibility in mind. I experienced very few barriers whilst I wondered my way around the CBD in the wheelchair. Generally the sidewalks are wide, even and paved, with kerb ramps and traffic lights to facilitate crossing of intersections. Amenities for persons with disability are scattered throughout the city, maximising convenience.

In areas where construction works are in progress, the detour arrangements do cause inconvenience but are overall considered to be acceptable. However, I do get nervous when travelling through such confined spaces because I fear I may block the entire path. Moreover, the noise that the wooden boards made as I travelled down those temporary kerb ramps did not inspire too much confidence either.

Improvements could be made to the design of the street side kiosks that can be readily found around the CBD. These kiosks, which are designed to bring convenience, should not exclude certain members of our society. As wheelchair users cannot fully approach these kiosks, the attendant would need to come out of the kiosk to serve them. A wheelchair friendlier design would eliminate such a problem, speeding up the transaction and causing less embarrassment.

Despite a generally accessible urban environment, the social barriers I felt during my fieldwork were significant and caused major discomfort. Of all the places I have been to as part of this thesis, I believe I received the most stares in the City of Sydney area. My belief is that they are not necessarily discriminative towards disabled people, but are probably just annoyed with the fact of having to be mindful of a wheelchair in a crowded, fast paced environment. Is a

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 38 disabled person a disability to the average person?

On a brighter note, not all was gloomy. The assistance I received from a couple in the QVB car park made me realise there are still many kind-hearted people in our city who care.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 39 DARLING HARBOUR

Dates 26 May 2006 Time 12:30pm 4:00pm Weather Overcast

Figure 4.21: The Map and the Audit route of Darling Harbour

DARLING HARBOUR Darling Harbour (refer to 4.21) is one of the world's great waterfront destinations. With its spectacular harbour setting, Darling Harbour has many of Australia's key tourist attractions and it s also a favourite place for Sydneysiders to spend their time relaxing and celebrating.

Must-see attractions at Darling Harbour include (Darling Harbour, 2006): · Sydney Aquarium - one of the largest in the world with over 11,500 all Australian aquatic animals · Australian National Maritime Museum free entry to Australia s most-visited maritime museum · Chinese Garden of Friendship a cultural oasis in the heart of Sydney · IMAX Theatre catch a movie on this giant screen, more than eight storeys high · Powerhouse Museum home to Australian culture and history · Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Australia s premier venue for major events and conferences · Cockle Bay Wharf and King Street Wharf two of Sydney's favourite dining and

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 40 entertainment destinations · Harbourside Shopping Centre offers a unique shopping, dining and leisure experience.

PARKING

Extra Wide Dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces · None Available

Normal Dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces · Most parking facilities within the CBD have dedicated disabled spaces · x 2 on Clarence Street · x 2 on Kent Street · x 3 on Hay Street · x 2 on Quay Street · x 2 on Fig Street · x 1 on Macarthur Street

Non-Dedicated Parking Spaces · There are ten parking stations located close to Darling Harbour, such as Harbourside, Exhibition Hall, Pyrmont Street and Star City. All of these facilities provide disabled parking · On-street Parking is available on Goulburn Street, Liverpool Street, Sussex Street, Harris Street, Hay Street, Clarence Street, Kent Street, Quay Street and Fig Street

Comments ü The number of disabled parking spaces in the vicinity of Darling Harbour is considered to be sufficient

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail · The closest railway station is Town Hall, which is approximately 10-15 minutes away by foot via the footbridges on Market and Druitt Streets

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 41 Bus · STA bus services are available on George Street (Town Hall), Pitt Street and Harris Street and at the Entertainment Centre and Central Station

Light Rail · There are two light rail stations close to Darling Harbour and both are located on Darling Drive. The Convention Station next to the Sydney Convention Centre, and the Exhibition Centre Station next to the Sydney Exhibition Centre. · At both stations, concrete slabs have been laid across the tracks to provide access to the western platform.

Monorail · The Convention Station is the closest Monorail Station. · A pedestrian footbridge provides access to the station from the western side of the Sydney Convention Centre. However the bridge is only served by stairs. Wheelchair bound users must resort to crossing Darling Drive via the pedestrian crossing at the surface and use the lift at the station.

Taxis Taxi Stand on Wheat Road, east of Cockle Bay Wharf Tax Stand on Harbour Street at the Entertainment Centre Taxi Stand south of Medina Grand Harbourside Taxi Stand at the Garden of Darling Harbour Taxi Stand west of Harbourside Shopping Centre Taxi Stand west of the Novotel Central Hotel

Comments ü There is a variety of public transport options to choose from and they are wheelchair accessible

PUBLIC TOILETS

There are 14 outdoor accessible toilets within Darling Harbour. All accessible toilets are stand-alone facilities · All facilities were unlocked and available for use · There is signage throughout Darling Harbour indicating where toilets and other amenities are located. Signage is clearly legible from a distance (refer to Figure

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 42 4.22 & 4.23)

Figure 4.22 Figure 4.23 Comments ü It is convenient for persons with disability to find a toilet at Darling Harbour. ü Toilets are dispersed evening within Darling Harbour and distances between toilets are short. û It may be due to my inexperience with a wheelchair, but swinging doors are hard to open and close.

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Ramps and Landings · At locations where is there a difference in level e.g. at parks and ferry stops, wheelchair accessible ramps are provided (refer to Figure 4.24, 4.25, 4.26 & 4.27)

Figure 4.24 Figure 4.25

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 43 Figure4.26 Figure 4.27

All restaurants around Cockle Bay have ramp access Ramps are paved with non-slip surfaces Most of ramps have handrails on at least one side, and handrails continue through the landings The gradient of most ramps is constant between landings All ramps are wide enough for both wheelchair users and pedestrians to pass through simultaneously The handrails in front of the Chinese Garden was too high for wheelchair users (refer to Figure 4.28)

Figure4.28

· An up ramp leads up to a pedestrian bridge which provides access between Town Hall and Darling Harbour (Figure 4.29)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 44 Figure 4.29 Outdoor seating may sometimes hinder access to certain areas (Figure 4.30)

Figure 4.30

Pathways · As a fully pedestrianised area, pathways are wide, even and are in good condition. There are no pot holes or depressions (Figure 4.31 & 4.32) · Pathways are paved with bricks · Poles, lights, bins, seats are offset to the side clear of pathways · Bollards restricts vehicular access but provide sufficient spaces for wheelchairs to pass through (refer to Figure 4.33 &4.34) · The walkway is well connected to the picnic and caf areas (Figure 4.34)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 45 Figure 4.31 Figure 4.32

Figure 4.33 Figure 4.34

Figure 4.35 Seating and Rest Areas · Space between two benches allow wheelchair users to fit in (refer to Figure 4.36) · Wheelchair users can squeeze in at the corner of the picnic benches. However, it is not particularly comfortable (refer to Figure 4.37)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 46 Figure 4.36 Figure 4.37

Comments ü In general, the environment within the Darling Harbour is very wheelchair friendly and is pleasant to be in

FACILITIES IN THE DARLING HARBOUR

Public Telephone · Public telephones are available at the IMAX theatre and the Entertainment Centre · They are placed at a level for wheelchair users to use conveniently (refer to Figure 4.38)

Figure 4.38

ATM · There is an ATM next to the IMAX theatre. It is reachable for wheelchair users (refer to Figure 4.39) · The screen and keypad is at a height viewable and reachable by wheelchair

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 47 users. However, I was unable to see the last line of text on the screen. The height may also cause discomfort if more than a single transaction is required.

Figure 4.39

· ATMs are located outside of the banks, saving the need for wheelchair users to enter the bank itself

Caf s · There are cafes located next to the IMAX theatre. The glass panel makes it difficult for vendors to deal with wheelchair users, requiring them to lean over (refer to Figure 4.40 & 4.41)

Figure 4.40 Figure 4.41 Lift Wheelchair access onto the Pyrmont Bridge are provided by lifts on either side The lift is spacious enough to accommodate a wheelchair and 5 other persons Signage (refer to Figure 4.42) Wheelchair users can easily press the lift button. In fact it is at a very convenient height (refer to Figure 4.43) Waiting for the lift took 5 minutes.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 48 Figure 4.42 Figure 4.43

Bins · The location and the height of street bins are appropriate for wheelchair users

Comments ü Facilities are reachable by wheelchair users û However, the designs of the ATMs and caf counters could be lowered

SELF REFLECTION

Darling Harbour is not only an accessible public space, I feel it is actually a pleasant and welcoming environment to be in. Not only were all facilities on site accessible, it seems the overall environment has been designed to specifically cater for persons with disability in mind, enabling them to easily navigate around and enjoy their stay barrier free.

I only have two minor complaints. Firstly, disabled toilets and parent rooms are integrated. Personally I believe this is not an ideal arrangement. I believe that parents will usually take a long time to cater for babies, and may occupy the facility for long periods of time, thus causing inconvenience to persons with disability. Secondly, the lift at Pyrmont Bridge required a long wait. Given it s the only choice for wheelchair users, it should be programmed to be not only safe but also convenient.

During my visit, there were various notable encounters. At the food court, one of the vending ladies was very kind and gave me a voucher. Another gave me a friendly greeting. At KFC, a staff approached a cashier to serve me and saved me the wait. I received looks of sympathy whilst passing through a picnic area. At the toilet, as an

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 49 abled lady was about to enter the toilet, she spotted me and instead let me in first. A security guard outside a shop also opened the door for me as I approached. However, despite these, there were still a lot of people who avoided eye contact when they saw me in the wheelchair.

With regards to the lady who wanted to use the disabled toilet, I feel that this is actually a very common problem. Many people like to use the disabled toilets to save queuing up, however they often leave a mess and thus causes a hassle for persons with disability.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 50 PYRMONT POINT PARK

Dates 15 May 2006 Time 3.45 noon 5.00 pm Location Pirrama Road, Pyrmont Cost Free Entry Weather Cloudy

Figure 4.44: Map of Pyrmont Point Park and the Audit Route

Brief Description of the park: Pyrmont Point Park (refer to Figure 4.44) is only a few kilometres from Sydney CBD. The park is next to Jones Bay so it provides some water view to the visitors. Picnic areas, BBQ facilities and children s playground can be found in the park. Even though this is a small park, this is a favourite place for some people walking a dog, jogging or having a family gathering and relaxing.

PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None available

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) Two off street disabled parking at Pirrama Road, adjacent to the park (refer to

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 51 Figure 4.45)

Non-Dedicated Approximately 15 off street parking spaces adjacent to the park Approximately 10 on street parking opposite to the park

Design The surface of the parking spaces is with blue printed wheelchair logos (refer to Figure 4.45) Wheelchair street sign erected adjacent to disabled spaces (refer to Figure 4.45) The position of the disabled parking bays is good, it is close to the entrance There is a ramped kerb located at the parking bays to allow access to the accessible pathway (refer to Figure4.45)

Figure 4.45

Comments ü Accessible parking bays are provided nearby the entrance of the park ü The number of disabled parking spaces are very sufficient ü Signage is considered to be satisfactory ü Blue printed disabled logo stand out and very clearly ü Ramp kerb in the immediate vicinity of disabled spaces creates convenience and safe route for disabled people

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail None available The closest station is Central, it is about 15 mins drive

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 52 Bus Two bus stops along Pirrama Road, one of them is adjacent to the park However, the bus stop adjacent to the park is without bus shelter and there is no seating provided (refer to Figure 4.46) There are two routes / bus services provided by Sydney Buses to Circular Quay, Wentworth Park and Glebe Coop. Wheelchair access is provided in some of the buses.

Figure 4.46

Taxi I could not spot any taxis passing the park during my visit

Comments ü The bus stops are conveniently located in close proximity to the park û There are only two bus routes providing service to city û Traffic light or pedestrian crossing should be installed for people to cross the road to the bus stop û Bus shelter and seating should be provide at the bus stop

PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilet One lone cubicle provided next to the park entrance Facility not locked Disabled toilet is wide enough to accommodate wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.47) The cubicle is a good size, there is a lot of space

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 53 Figure 4.47

Signage Signage of disabled is labelled on the door No toilet signage throughout the park

Comments ü There are lots of spaces for a wheelchair to move in the cubicle û Even though the size of the park is not large, I think signage should be put to inform of the location of the disabled toilet û More toilet facilities needed. There are only 2 cubicles for each female and male toilet. The disabled toilet might not be able to kept free for use by people with disabilities during peak time

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Crossing There were no pedestrian crossings on Pirrama Road into the park

Ramps, Kerbs Well maintained ramp kerb constructed between the parking areas and walkway (refer to Figure 4.48)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 54 Figure 4.48

Clearly defined transition roadway ramp kerb, walkway and roadway, with contrasting colour (refer to Figure 4.49)

Figure 4.49

Ramp and Landing Ramping and stairs provision are combined in the park (refer to Figure 4.50) The ramp has a handrail on one side which continues through the landings (refer to Figure 4.50) The gradient of the ramp is constant between landings (refer to Figure 4.50) The ramp does not come with non-slip surface, the material of the ramp is wood (refer to Figure 4.51)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 55 Figure 4.50 Figure 4.51

Wheelchair accessible ramps are only available at either ends of the park (refer to Figure 4.52)

Figure 4.52

Walkways Tiled pathways from the parking facility extend to the entrance of the park The walkway around and in the park are fully wheelchair accessible and wide enough for wheelchair access, the ground is free from pot holes and puddles (refer to Figure 4.53 & 4.54)

Figure 4.53 Figure 4.54

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 56 The gradient of the walkway is suitable for outdoor use The walkway is paved with bricks or concrete, it is well maintained and in good condition There are two walkways in the park. The inner walkway is the direct route to the BBQ and picnic areas and grass areas. The outer walkway is the route to the sea view. Both of them run in a circular pattern However, the outer walkway does not come with non-slip surface, it is a wooden walkway

Comments û The volume of traffic on Piramma road is busy. Given that there is no pedestrian crossing, it is difficult for the wheelchair user to cross the road û Ramps should not only be available on either side of the park, it would be better to put one more ramp in the middle of the park û The outer walkway is not suitable for wheelchair use when the surface is wet ü The ramp provides convenience to the wheelchair user, it is wide enough to cater for wheelchairs ü The kerb ramp has smooth transition and is level with the road ü The kerb ramp is a clearly defined transition between roadway and footpath ü The walkway is very accessible; I feel that I am having a very safe ride when I am using the walkway ü The walkway is in a good condition, it is absolutely free from tree root damage, cracks and unevenness

FACILITIES AT THE PARK

Refreshment Facilities Drinking fountains (refer to Figure 4.56), picnic areas (refer to Figure 4.55), and BBQ areas are accessible at the park

Figure 4.55 Figure 4.56

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 57 Rest areas are provided with seats and seating space for a person using a wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.57)

Figure 4.57

Comments ü Rest areas are everywhere in the park ü Picnic areas and BBQ facilities can be used by disabled people

SELF REFLECTION

This was a pleasurable visit! I kind of enjoy the atmosphere in the park, this park is so relaxing and enjoyable. All the facilities around or in the park (e.g. paved and well maintained walkway) make me feel that disabled people are welcome. With this atmosphere, I think disabled people will feel happy when they visit in the park. Also, they can be very independent in the park because the wheelchair can move easily on the walkway without other s help. I saw a few people in the park, some of them were walking with dogs, some of them were taking a rest on the lawn and one of them was taking pictures. We made eye contact and said hello to each other. These people make the park become more comfortable and attractive

I was so impressed when I saw the kerb ramp right next to the disabled parking spaces. This is the first time I have seen it in a park, I think it is very important to put a kerb there, to bring convenience to disabled people.

There are lots of birds around the picnic area and BBQ facilities. I don t mind sharing the place with the birds, however, the place had lots of bird shit on the ground. When the wheelchair is rolling on the ground, the wheelchair users might get the dirt from the wheels.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 58 Another problem to this park is the crossing on Pirrama Road. There are no pedestrian crossings and it is hard to see the traffic (at the corner), I really need to listen for vehicle sounds before I crossed. With the wheelchair, it is very hard to hurry while crossing. Another I concern is the toilet facilities. The toilet looks like a temporary one. I think that the toilet facilities are not big enough to cater people s need at peak times (weekend), then people will occupy the disabled toilet.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 59 CITY NIGHT MARKET

Date 19 May 2006 Time 7:45 9:00pm Location Chinatown, Dixon Street, Haymarket Organiser City of Sydney Council (CoSC) Cost Free Weather Good

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET The market was held on Dixon Street Mall, at the heart of Chinatown. The City Night Market is a weekly event and is held every Friday from 6:00pm. It provides a mix of cultural vibrancy, entertainment, street theatre, fine food, alfresco shopping and outdoor dining. (Sydney City Council)

Figure 4.57: Map and Audit Route of City Night Market

PARKING

Large Dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces · None Available

Normal Sized Dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces · x1 on street @ Sussex Street

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 60 Non-Dedicated Parking Spaces · Off-street Parking Facility at the Entertainment Centre, Market City and Capitol Square · On-street Parking is available on Sussex Street, Liverpool Street, Liverpool Street, Goulburn Street and George Street

Comments û It was rather difficult to find parking in the city. û The closest street to alight would have been Little Hay Street. However, it was closed off to traffic on the night. Instead, I had to alight on Sussex Street. û There is one disabled parking space on Sussex Street. Perhaps a few more dedicated disabled spaces could be provided on other streets as well

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail · Central Station is approximately 10 minutes away from the Market · Town Hall Station is approximately 10 minutes away from the Market

Bus · STA Bus Services stop on George Street, Pitt Street, Eddy Avenue and Harris Street · Bus services provide access to Northern CBD, inner city areas, eastern suburbs · STA s Sydney Bus Fleet is 35% Wheelchair Accessible

Light Rail · Haymarket Station is three minutes away from the Market · The Station platforms are elevated slightly above ground. Ramps provide wheelchair access to the ground level. · The doors of the Light Rail cars are level with the platform, enabling wheelchair users to board and alight safely and conveniently. · Tactile tiles are provided on the platform for the visually impaired.

Monorail · The Paddy s Market Monorail Station is approximately 5 minutes · Monorail Stations have lift access

Taxis · A taxi stand is located outside the Entertainment Centre and Furama Hotel

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 61 · Taxis frequent the area. It was not a problem waiting

Comments ü There is a wide range of public transport service nearby, providing access to and from the Market. ü Most services do provide disabled access. û However, wheelchair bound users may have to wait longer for accessible buses and taxis

PUBLIC TOILETS

· There are no toilet facilities available at the Market. · There are no accessible toilets provided on site. · The closest disabled toilet facility is at Market City, Belmore Park and Central Station

Comments û The wheelchair bound needs to travel a certain distance before they can access an accessible toilet

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Walkway · The main thoroughfare, Dixon Street, is a pedestrianised area. · The street surface was paved with tiles, and is fairly resistant to slippage. · The condition of the surface is good, reflecting the durability of the tiles and perhaps good maintenance. · There is an open drain running down the street. The depression may pose as a risk to wheelchair users and the visually impaired. (refer to Figure 4.58)

Figure 4.58

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 62 · The crossfall of the Mall is considered to be too steep, and great care was required in manoeuvring the wheelchair. · Although the street itself was fairly wide, the presence of the stalls and other obstacles such as bins and outdoor seating has restricted pedestrian space to a great degree. There was simply no space to allow wheelchair users to pass through at some locations, let alone stop to browse (refer to Figure 4.59 and 4.60)

Figure 4.59 Figure 4.60

Kerb Ramps · There are kerb ramps on Hay Street to facilitate wheelchair users to cross the road.

Seating and Rest Areas · Rectangular concrete blocks along the Mall act as seating. However, during the Market, they become a part of most stalls, acting as storage areas (refer to Figure 4.61 and Figure 4.62)

Figure 4.61 Figure 4.62

· There are numerous stalls which were selling traditional Chinese food. However, the lack of eating areas meant that many people had to finish off their food standing or walking.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 63 Comments ü Dixon Street Mall is generally wheelchair user-friendly û However, with the hosting of the City Night Market, the wheelchair-bound will find it difficult to navigate through the narrow spaces in the crowded Mall û There is little space for wheelchair users to stop and rest

FACILITIES IN THE MARKET

Lighting · Despite commencing late into the evening, the market was brightly lit. The neon lights on the shopfronts and floodlights from the temporary stalls provide great illumination through the night (refer to Figure 4.63 & 4.64).

Figure 4.63 Figure 4.64

Stalls · Most food stalls are too high for wheelchair users to see what is being cooked and to deal with the vendors (refer to Figure 4.65). This may be due to the need to accommodate cooking equipment. · Most other stalls are relatively low in height, hence allowing wheelchair users a better view (refer to Figure 4.66).

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 64 Figure 4.65 Figure 4.66

Comments û Some of the equipment used during the Market Night does not accommodate wheelchair users.

SELF REFLECTION

As a frequency visitor to the City Night Market, this particular visit has given me an all new insight. Being restrained in a wheelchair, I could definitely feel being disabled by the environment I was in. In addition to the physical barriers mentioned above, there were numerous occasions where I was also made to feel unwelcome:

· I received stares from several shoppers, including a number of teenagers. This was probably because my wheelchair was blocking their path, or perhaps because they believe that wheelchair users should not cause inconvenience to others by entering crowded spaces. · Whilst moving up the Mall, I approached a narrow space and thus gave way to people coming from the opposite direction. However, the man behind me shouted: Hey, move on, this is the City! . · The waitresses who were standing outside their restaurants trying to draw customers seem to deliberately ignore me. They did not approach me and some even avoided eye contact. · I also got looks from a number of vendors. I could only guess what they were thinking.

Navigating through the crowds with a wheelchair, I found that I had to say sorry and excuse me numerous times. However, sitting in front of the PC and writing this, I wonder why I

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 65 did so. Obviously I had to be polite to make my way through the crowds, but should I have been sorry for causing inconvenience? I am sure a disabled person would not have felt that way.

Overall, I don t particularly recommend wheelchair users to go to the City Night Market as they may not be able to enjoy themselves fully.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 66 SURRY HILLS FESTIVAL

Date 20May 2006 Time 1.30 pm 4.00pm Location Prince Alfred Park, Chalmers Street, Surry Hills Cost Gold coin donation Weather Cloudy and Showers

Figure 4.67: Map of Surry Hills Festival and the Audit Route

Brief description of the festival: Surry Hills Festival (refer to Figure 4.67 & 4.68) aims to help the fundraising for the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre to run multicultural services, childcare and programs for the needy. There are lots of entertainments in the festival for everyone including Surry Hills dog shows, live music stages, DJ areas, belly dancing, a huge children s area and a senior s program. The festival also contains 200 market stalls and 40 delicious food stalls.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 67 Figure 4.68: Map of Surry Hills Festival from Sydney City Council

PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None availabe

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) 1 x On Street (at the corner of Chalmers street and Cleveland Street) (Have to check again)

Non-Dedicated On-street parking available along Cleveland Street, Chalmers Street, Belvoir Street, Bedford Street and Rutland Street

Comments û Very hard to find parking around this area, I spent 45 mins finding a parking space

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 68 PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail Central Station is next to Prince Alfred Park, within 5 minutes

Bus Bus Terminal on Central with services to the CBD, Eastern suburbs and inner Sydney areas Bus stops are located at Cleveland Street and Chalmers Street

Taxi Taxi Stand on Chalmers Street, next to Central Station

Comments ü Both the Central station and taxi stand are conveniently located in close proximity to the Oval ü Bus stops are located within proximity / distance

PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilets 2 accessible toilets provided within park venue Facility located next to Gate 1 entrance Another facility located on Cleveland Street side of the park Facility not locked

Signage Signage on the door No signage informed of the location of the toilet throughout the festival venue

Comments û Disabled toilets should be provided on gate 3 entrance as well û There is inadequate signage to inform the disabled where toilet facilities are

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 69 PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Walkways The walkway is wide enough to share with other people and other wheelchair user No obstacles along the walkway The surface of the walkway is slip resistant Some of the surface is not in good condition with some pot holes, cracks and unevenness (refer to Figure 4.68 and Figure 4.69)

Figure 4.68 Figure 4.69

Kerb ramp Entry point with kerb ramp and free of step Kerb edges are everywhere in the park (refer to Figure 4.70)

Figure 4.70

Comments ü The walkway is wide and easy to access û Most of the stalls are far from the kerb edge, and are not reachable by the

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 70 wheelchair user (refer to Figure 4.71) ü Wheelchair user can only reach the stalls which are near the kerb edge (Figure 4.72) û Some parts of the grass areas (e.g. blue stage)are next to the kerb edge, so the wheelchair user can t go there and does not know what is going on û Some of the grass areas are reachable (e.g. the area next to blissworks and the show ground) where the kerb edge does not exist (Figure 4.73). So I could hear DJ talk and live music û Food stalls were very far from the kerb, the wheelchair user can t even see what food they are selling

Figure 4.71 Figure 4.72

Figure 4.73

FACILITIES IN THE PARK

Rest Area Rest Area only provided outside of food stalls No wind protection area or rain shelter provided

Comments

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 71 û Rest Areas should be provided in different places û It was raining on that day but we could not find any shelter from the rain. Kerbs were everywhere and wheelchair users could not even get close to the stalls to get shelter

SELF REFLECTION

Due to the bad weather, I have to declare that I have not finished the observation of this event. I think I have only done half of work, then it started raining. My sister was pushing the wheelchair quicker when we tried to find shelter. However, we could not find any shelters after a long walk. Other people just stepped over the kerb edge and go into the stalls. I feel very poor and hopeless, my sister and I were the only pair moving on the walkway to find shelter. Other people just looked at us and pointed at us but no one came to help us. I could feel the isolation, not only from the built environment (the barrier of the kerb edge), but from the other people as well. We finally found a big tree to escape from the rain but our clothes were soaked.

Since the wheelchair could not get over the kerb (it was a pretty high kerb), I could only look at the stalls from the main way. Sometimes, I could not even see the products there because of the crowd in front of the stall. There was one stall selling badges, the stall is a bit far from the kerb. However, the boss of the stall had put his badges stand on the walkway, so I could see and touch the badges. The badges stand could even be changed in height to adjust to my eye level. The boss was shouting when he saw wheelchair user in front of the stand: My products are for everybody. I strongly felt that I was very welcome to this stall.

There was a little accident during my visit, I got chewing gum on the wheel of my wheelchair. It took a few minutes to get rid of it.

I strongly feel that the stalls should be put closer to the kerb so that wheelchair users can reach the counter. Also, some shelter should be provided. I personally think that disabled people can go to this event in good weather.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 72 RANDWICK JUNCTION

Dates a) 28 May 2006 b) 16 June 2006 Time a) 4.00pm 4.30 pm b) 2:30pm 4.15 pm Weather a) Sunny b) Sunny

Brief description of Randwick Junction:

Figure 4.74: Map and the Audit Route at Randwick Junction

The suburb of Randwick (refer to Figure 4.74) is located on the northern boundary of Randwick City and is bounded by the suburbs of Kensington to the west and Clovelly/Coogee to the east. Randwick has a large commercial area (extending along Belmore Road) which also incorporates multi storey apartments above. Bus services operate on the main roads in Randwick, with buses along Belmore Road providing a public transport interchange, with a north/south connection and Alison Road providing east/west connections. Bus services are the only form of public transport available to the suburb. (Randwick City Council)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 73 PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None available

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) Two on street parking at Silver street, nearby Belmore road (refer to Figure 4.75) One on street parking at Arthur street, nearby Belmore road (refer to Figure 4.76)

Figure 4.75 Figure 4.76

Non-Dedicated Approximately 43 off street parking at Council car park located at the corner of Silver Street and Elizabeth Street Approximately 20 on street parking along Belmore Road On-street parking available at Clara Street, Arthur Street, Waratah Avenue, Silver Street and Alison Road

Comments ü It is good that there are a few disabled parking spaces next to Belmore Road so disabled people have more choices in parking, they do not have to park in the Shopping centres all the time ü Given that there are a few disabled parking spaces in two shopping centres, the number of disabled parking spaces is sufficient. û The disabled parking spaces only have a sign on pole. The ground is not painted with any blue logo or symbol û There is no disabled parking in the council car park

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 74 û Have to pay more attention to the tree, it nearly blocks the disabled sign (Figure AC)

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail None available

Bus Bus services are provided by STA around Randwick Junction, there are a few bus stops in and around the Junction STA has buses that provide disabled access Bus service in Randwick Junction with services to city, the airport, eastern suburbs, inner city and western suburbs There are at least 15 bus routes to Randwick Junction Awnings of buildings act as weather shelter for bus stops on Belmore Road (refer to Figure 4.77) Most STA bus stops now have glass shelters provided by JCDecaux (refer to Figure 4.78)

Figure 4.77 Figure 4.78

Taxi There is no taxi stand on Belmore Road I could spot lots of taxis passing Belmore Road during the site visit

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 75 Comments ü Bus stops are conveniently and located in good location ü Bus services are very sufficient. There are lots of bus routes to the city.

PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilet None available around Randwick Junction

Comments û Disabled toilet should be put nearby Randwick Junction

REST AREAS There are some seats provided along Belmore Road (refer to Figure 4.79 & 4.80) No obvious rest areas within immediate town centre The closest rest area is Alison Park on Alison Road

Figure 4.79 Figure 4.80

Comments û There are lack of rest areas in Randwick Junction û Large pot plant on either side of the bench acts to separate wheelchair users from their company

STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Pedestrian Crossing There are two marked pedestrian crossing on both side entrances of Royal Randwick Shopping Centre on Belmore Road (refer to Figure 4.81)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 76 One traffic light crossing at the corner of Alison Road and Belmore Road, another traffic light crossing is at the corner of High Street and Belmore Road Crossing space is wide enough for two wheelchairs to pass easily The pedestrian crossings is clearly marked

Figure 4.81

Kerb Ramp The kerb ramp is located at a marked crossing but it is not wholly contained within the designated crossing area (refer to Figure 4.82)

Figure 4.82 There are kerb ramps in place at street corners, pedestrian crossing and set down areas Kerb ramps are positioned so that wheelchair user has an unobstructed view of the road and oncoming traffic Only some of the kerb ramps are indicated by a change in colour or texture (refer to Figure 4.82 & 4.83)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 77 Figure 4.83

Some kerb ramps are not in a good condition, broken ramp kerb can be found at Waratah Avenue (refer to Figure 4.84)

Figure 4.84 Figure 4.85 Some kerb ramps are too steep and are not level with the road (refer to Figure 4.85)

Ramp and Landing I cannot find any ramp and landing in the town centre Most shops and services are located on the ground floor either with or without stairs access (refer to Figure 4.86 & 4.87)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 78 Figure 4.86 Figure 4.87

Paths and walkways Some part of the walkway are paved and some part of the walkway are made with concrete. However, some parts of the walkway along Belmore Road not in good condition (refer to Figure 4.88 & 4.89)

Figure 4.88 Figure 4.89 Bins, planter boxes and bollards are all in one line adjacent to the walkway at Belmore Road, so the pathway is quite clear There are some outdoor dinning areas in front of Cafes, which occupy some space from the walkway (refer to Figure 4.90 & 4.91)

Figure 4.90 Figure 4.91

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 79 At Waratah Avenue, the walkway is not free from pot holes, cracks, tree root damage or unevenness (refer to Figure 4.92)

Figure 4.92

There is no walkway from the corner of Elizabeth Street and Waratah Avenue to the Council Car Park. My wheelchair had to share the narrow roadway with cars. The roadway is in an unbelievably messy condition (refer to Figure 4.93)

Figure 4.93 Most of the walkway along Belmore Road is wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair and large pedestrian flow

Comments ü Pedestrian crossings are safe and pedestrian friendly

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 80 û Kerb ramps are not in good condition at Waratah Avenue ü The kerb ramps has a smooth transition at the pedestrian crossing û Lots of shops along Belmore Road have a big step at the shop front û Outdoor dinning areas occupy some spaces from the walkway, which becomes narrow (Figure AP) û There is lack of walkway from Elizabeth Street to the council car park

FACILITIES IN THE TOWN CENTRE

Telephone None available

ATM ATMs are provided outside the banks ATMs are not fully reachable, it really depends on the design of the ATM. But most of them are suitable for wheelchair users ANZ s ATM is a good model for wheelchair users. The screen height and the keyboard height is suitable for wheelchair users

Bins The location and the height of waste bins are appropriate, they are reachable by disabled people

Comments û Public phone can not be found in the town centre

ROYAL RANDWICK SHOPPING CENTRE Approach to Shopping Centre The shopping centre is within easy walking distance of public transport The main paths to the mall entrances are continuous accessible paths of travel The main path is the most direct path of travel The surface of the entry points is not slip resistant (refer to Figure 4.94) The entry point has a billboard in the middle, but is wide enough for wheelchair access (refer to Figure 4.94) The entry point is free of steps with kerb ramps in place (refer to Figure 4.94)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 81 Figure 4.94 Disabled Toilet There is only one disabled accessible toilet at ground level in the shopping centre (2 levels) One stand alone cubicle provided in the shopping centre Disabled toilet entrance just wide enough to accommodate wheelchair Disabled toilet is a small size The walkway which access as the disabled toilet is very narrow, the wheelchair just fitting and it is difficult to share the way with other people (refer to Figure 4.95)

Figure 4.95

Parking in the Shopping Centre Approximately six disabled parking spaces in the underground car park There are designated parking bays for persons with disabilities near the entry points The designated parking bays are a suitable size The designated parking areas are clearly signed with the blue print disable symbol The auto pay station is slightly too high to deposit coins The entrance to the lift is accessible and wide enough for people with disabilities

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 82 There is a ramp connected to the car park and ground level of the shopping centre (refer to Figure 4.96)

Figure 4.96 Comments ü The shopping centre is in a good position, it is right in the middle of the Randwick Junction. There are lots of bus routes to the shopping centre and is within walking distance to some residential areas ü The facilities in the shopping centre are adequate

SELF REFLECTION

I can t believe that there is no disabled parking in the council car park. I am so shocked by this. I would assume that the Council would provide at least one or two parking spaces for disabled people in the Council car park. Also, there is no walkway from Elizabeth Street to the car park, which shows that the Council does not expect disabled people to use the council car park. Honestly, I am very disappointed. However, I was so surprised to see a disabled parking space outside of TAB. I don t know whether the disabled space is for TAB but I am glad to see this. Disabled people should have entertainment like other people in the society. The only disabled toilets are in shopping centres. I think it is very harsh for disabled people. I believe that disabled toilets are an important component in urban design and the Council should consider it as a main element in a master plan

The traffic flow is not calm in the Junction but they are willing to give way to wheelchair users. I really think that the walkway along Belmore Road is much better than Waratah Avenue, Silver Street and Arthur Street. Travelling by wheelchair along Waratah Avenue was bumpy and made me feel a bit dizzy.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 83 MAROUBRA TOWN CENTRE

Dates 29 May 2006 Time 11.00 am 2.15pm Weather Sunny

Brief description of the town centre:

Figure 4.97: Map and the Audit Route in Maroubra Junction

The suburb of Maroubra (refer to Figure 4.97) is located on the south east of Randwick City and is bounded by South Coogee and Kingsford to the north, Botany Bay LGA to the west, and Malabar and Matraville to the south. The Maroubra Junction shopping centre is one of the main shopping areas in Randwick City and is located on Anzac Parade and Maroubra Road. Bus services operate along Anzac Parade, these bus services are the only form of public transport available to the suburb. (Randwick City Council)

PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) Two Off Street parking at Anzac Parade and Maroubra Road (refer to Figure 4.97) Two Off Street parking at Anzac Parade and Haig Street Two Off Street parking at Anzac Parade and Boyce Road

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 84 Figure 4.97

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) One on Street parking at Anzac Parade, adjacent to Pacific Square

Non-Dedicated Approximately 144 off street parking around Maroubra Junction (along Anzac Parade)

Comments ü Accessible parking is nearby in Maroubra town centre ü The number of disabled parking spaces is sufficient ü Signage is considered to be satisfactory ü The designated parking areas are clearly signed with a blue print disabled logo at entry of space and pole sign is adjacent to the parking areas ü The designated parking bays are the closest parking spaces to the accessible entrance

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail None available

Bus Bus services are provided by STA around Maroubra Junction, there are a few bus stops in and around the Junction STA has buses that provide disabled access Bus service in Maroubra Junction has services to city, the airport, eastern suburbs, inner city and western suburbs

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 85 There are at least 15 bus routes to Maroubra Junction The Bus service in Maroubra Junction has express bus services to city and airport Most bus stops in Maroubra Junction have been upgraded with bus shelters but there still a few ungraded bus stops at Maroubra Road (refer to Figure 4.98and Figure 4.99)

Figure 4.98 Figure 4.99 Since part of Pacific Square is under construction, there is not much space for the bus stop and it is very inconvenient. The pedestrian walkway next to the bus stop has become very narrow and has no shelter. (refer to Figure 4.100)

Figure 4.100

Taxi There is a taxi stand on Maroubra Road, nearby Maroubra Junction

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 86 Comments ü Bus stops are conveniently located in good positions ü Bus services are very sufficient. There are at least ten bus routes to the city. û Some bus stops need to be upgraded with seats and shelter û The bus stop at Maroubra road is too close to the taxi stand (refer to Figure 4.101)

Figure 4.101

PUBLIC TOILETS

Disabled Toilet One disabled toilet located in the heart of Maroubra Junction (refer to Figure 4.102) The toilet is wheelchair accessible The toilet area has slip resistant floors The door of the toilet is automatic, it does have an indicator and lock to show if the WC is in use There is a 20 minute limit for toilet use and no cost required There is no visible sign showing the location of the public toilet in the town centre

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 87 Figure 4.102 Comments ü The location of the disabled toilet is in a good position, it is in the heart of Maroubra Junction ü The design of the facility is good, the door automatically opens and it has lots of space in the toilet û There is inadequate signage to inform the disabled where the toilet facilities are in the town centre

REST AREAS

There are two rest areas on both corners of Anzac Parade and Maroubra Junction The rest areas are provided with seating and space for a wheelchair user (refer to Figure 4.103) Some part of the rest areas in Maroubra Junction are shaded with trees but there are no wind protected areas or shelter from rain, it is a totally open space There is a drinking fountain provided and reachable but it is not working. The drinking fountains is not located in the rest areas, it located outside of the rest area and next to the traffic light (refer to Figure 4.104) The rest areas are alongside pedestrian walkways The rest areas are an alcohol free zones

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 88 Figure 4.103 Figure 4.104

Another rest area is located at Pacific Square Domain, it is located right next to the entrance (refer to Figure 4.105) Seats are provided at Pacific Square Domain The rest area at Pacific Square Domain is an open space Outdoor dinning areas are available at Pacific Square Domain with some bench on site (refer to Figure 4.105)

Figure 4.105 Comments ü It is good that council has made the rest area become an alcohol free zone which helps combat crime and anti-social behaviour in this area ü The water fountain is not located in the rest areas. There is no point to putting a water fountain outside the rest area, especially if it is not working û The rest areas cannot be used if raining

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 89 STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Kerb Ramp and Pedestrian Crossing All the kerb ramps in or around Maroubra Junction have smooth transition Some kerb ramps are indicated by a change in colour or texture (refer to Figure 4.106) As far as I can see, most of the kerb ramps are level with road. However, I found that there is one kerb ramp with not a good gradient at the corner of Maroubra Road and Benetts Road (refer to Figure 4.107) Kerb ramps are always in place at street corners, pedestrian crossings and other crossing points

Figure 4.106 Figure 4.107

Ramp and Landing There is a ramp next to the Post Office and this is the only ramp I found in the town centre. The ramp comes with one side hardrail (refer to Figure 4.108) Most of the local shops are located on the ground floor, most of them with a big step at the shop front (refer to Figure 4.109)

Figure 4.108 Figure 4.109 The entrances at all service sectors such as banks (refer to Figure 4.110), centrelink

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 90 (refer to Figure 4.111), 7- Eleven, Bowen Library etc. are free of step and accessible by wheelchair

Figure 4.110 Figure 4.111

A temporary ramp is located next to the construction site (Pacific Square), it comes with a slip resistant map (refer to Figure 4.112)

Figure 4.112

Paths and Walkways There is accessible walkway between key public areas such as Pacific Squares and Bowen library The walkways are clear of obstacles. Bins, planter boxes and bollards are all in one line along the pathway Some of the walkways are paved (refer to Figure 4.115), it does provide a firm and stable surface. Some walkways are made of concrete, however, the concrete walkway at Maroubra Road is not in good condition; the surface is not free from pot holes, cracks and unevenness (refer to Figure 4.114)

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 91 Figure 4.114 Figure 4.115

Most of the walkways in town centre are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair and a large pedestrian flow (refer to Figure 4.116 & 4.117)

Figure 4.116 Figure 4.117 The walkway next to parking area (the corner of Maroubra Road and Anzac Parade) is too narrow to cater for a wheelchair and pedestrians (refer to Figure 4.118)

Figure 4.118

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 92 Comments û The concrete walkway along Maroubra Road is not in good condition û Lots of shops along Maroubra Road have a big step at the shop front. The big step at the entrance of the shops acts as a barrier for disabled people û Some of the walkway is too narrow to share with pedestrians. Some pedestrians are forced to walk on the roadway when they give way to the wheelchair û Some kerb ramps are not at a good gradient and too high for disabled people ü A temporary ramp is provided next to the construction site, providing more convenience to disabled people

FACILITIES IN THE TOWN CENTRE

Telephone Accessible telephones are available nearby Maroubra Junction Telephones are located outside the Post Office (refer to Figure 4.119) There is a clear space provided in front of the telephone for a wheelchair user to approach

Figure 4.119 ATM ATMs are provided outside the bank. ATMs are not fully reachable, it really depends on the design of the ATM. But most of them are suitable for wheelchair users (the screen height and the keyboard height) The ATM in front of Westpac and Bank of Queensland cannot be reached by a wheelchair user, I could not even put my key card in the machine (refer to Figure 4.120 & 4.121)

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 93 Figure 4.120 Figure 4.121

Bins The location and the height of waste bins are appropriate, they are reachable by disabled people

Comments ü The telephone can be used by disabled people easily û It is very hard to reach the ATM if we are facing to it, its better if we can position the wheelchair sideways ü All the bins are reachable

SHOPPING CENTRE - PACIFIC SQUARE

Approach to Shopping Centre The shopping centre is within easy walking distance of public transport The main paths to the mall entrances are continuous accessible paths of travel The main path is the most direct path of travel The surface of the entry points is not slip resistant (refer to Figure 4.122) There are no hazards at the entry point and it is free of kerbs and steps (refer to Figure 4.122) Automatic sliding door is available at the entry points (refer to Figure 4.122)

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 94 Figure 4.122 Disabled Toilet There is only one disabled accessible toilet at ground level in the shopping centre One stand alone cubicle provided in the shopping centre Disabled toilet entrance is an automatic sliding door (refer to Figure 4.123), it is wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs Disabled toilet is a good size, there is a lot of space inside

Figure 4.123

Parking in the Shopping Centre Approximately four disabled parking spaces in the underground car park There are designated parking bays for persons with disabilities near the entry points The designated parking bays are a suitable size The designated parking areas are clearly signed and have the blue print disable symbol in use, but the blue print is a bit faded (refer to Figure 4.124) There is no lift available from the car park, the elevator is connected to the ground level and underground car park (refer to Figure 4.125)

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 95 Figure 4.124 Figure 4.125

Comments ü I think that the shopping centre is located in a good position, it located at the heart of Maroubra Junction. There are two bus stops outside of the shopping centre to provide bus services to everyone. ü The facilities in the shopping centre are adequate

SELF REFLECTION

I was shocked when I was doing the fieldwork in Maroubra Junction. I have seen lots of disabled people and wheelchairs around this area where I have been living in this area for eight years but I never noticed this. I am surprise that most of them are by themselves to going around Maroubra Junction; they look so free and independent. I also feel disabled people are more friendly in Maroubra, they will say hi and smile at you.

Even though I have been living in Maroubra for eight years I had never approached the rest areas in the town centre. I think that not many residents or people will stay in this place because it was occupied by drunk people. You can find drunk people screaming and sleeping in this area. Recently, the Council has made this rest areas an alcohol free zone, so this place can be used in an appropriate way now. Nevertheless, I personally do not feel that the location of the rest areas is adequate because of the quantity of traffic at the Maroubra Junction intersection which makes the rest area unpleasant, very noisy and polluted.

I think Maroubra is a nice neighbourhood for disabled people. Given that I have seen

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 96 lots of disabled people in Maroubra Junction, who look happy and pleased. I believe that Maroubra is a convenient and liveable place for them with sufficient facilities and services including banks, a post office, Centrelink, shopping centre, a library etc. Also, the bus service is very sufficient in this area.

Chapter 4 Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 97 COOGEE BEACH

Dates 28 May 2006 Time 01:30pm 4:15pm Weather Sunny, Light winds

Brief Description of the Beach: Coogee Beach is a popular beach in the Eastern Suburb. This seaside suburb is not only popular for tourists but also a good place for locals. Coogee is a great place to eat, surf and swim. Along Coogee Beach, people can explore beautiful coastal walks, the lush parklands with outdoor barbeque and picnic facilities, kids play areas and the finest sand beach.

Figure 4.126: Map and the Audit at Coogee Beach

PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) Two Off Street parking (within Oval s off street parking facility) Two Off Street parking (at the corner of Dolphin and the Bream Street) (refer to Figure 4.126)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 98 Figure 4.126

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) One On Street parking at Carr Street (refer to Figure 4.127) Three On Street parking along Coogee Bay Road (refer to Figure 4.128)

Figure 4.127 Figure 4.128

Non-Dedicated Approximately 40 off street parking within Oval s parking facilities Approximately 30 off street parking at the corner of Dolphin and the Bream Street On-street parking available along Arden Street, Dolphin Street, Bream Street, Carr Street, Coogee Bay Road and Brook Street

Comments ü The number of disabled parking spaces are sufficient ü Signage is considered to be satisfactory

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 99 û Blue print disabled logo are not marked on the street disabled parking bays û The disabled parking space on Carr Street is not in a convenience position. There is only stairs directly to the beach from this point. The closest ramp to the beach is near Arden Street û There is layback in immediate vicinity of disabled space, requiring wheelchair users to navigate around the car park creating inconvenience and safety risks for disabled people

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail None available

Bus Bus Terminal on Arden Street with services to the city, the airport and eastern suburbs Bus shelter with seating provided at the bus terminal (refer to Figure 4.129 & 4.130)

Figure 4.129 Figure 4.130

Taxi Taxi Stand is available on Arden Street

Comments ü Both the bus terminal and taxi stand are conveniently located in close proximity to the beach ü There is a continuous wheelchair accessible path to the beach side from bus

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 100 terminal û There is a lack of wheelchair space in the bus shelter, so the wheelchair might be inconvenient to other travellers

PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilet Toilet closed off for works and was not accessible Temporary toilet facilities for disabled were not provided (refer to Figure 4.131 & 4.132) No signage indicating how long the works will last Facilities located next to the bus terminal and opposite to the Coogee Bay Road

Figure 4.131 Figure 4.132 Comments û Temporary disabled toilet should be provided on site û There is inadequate signage to inform people where the toilet facilities are û There is no way that disabled people can use the temporary toilet considering that the door is too small and with steps

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Crossing Crossing of Arden Street provided at Coogee Bay Road traffic lights Crossing of Arden Street provided at Carr Street traffic lights

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 101 Ramps, kerbs and laybacks Ramp kerbs have been constructed at the Crossings of Arden Street (refer to Figure 4.133)

Figure 4.133

(Electricity) Pole erected in the middle of a corner kerb ramp at the corner of Brooke Street and Coogee Bay Road, restricting wheelchair access to either side of it, effectively defeating the purpose of the ramps. (refer to Figure 4.134)

Figure 4.134

Layback with lip or step at Crossings of Arden Street to Carr Street (refer to Figure 4.135)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 102 Figure 4.135 Ramps and handrail are provided at the beach side so the wheelchair can get close to the sand area (Figure 4.136)

Figure 4.136 Walkways Part of the walkway along Arden Street is very narrow, only one wheelchair wide on the way (refer to Figure 4.137 & 4.138)

Figure 4.137 Figure 4.138 Part of walkway along Arden Street is not in good condition (refer to Figure 4.139)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 103 Figure 4.139 The walkway is very narrow along Coogee Bay road due to outdoor dinning areas. Wheelchair has to share a narrow walkway with tables, chairs and pedestrians (refer to Figure 4.149)

Figure 4.140 The walkway along the beach front is fully wheelchair accessible and wide enough for wheelchair access; the ground is paved with bricks, free from pot holes and puddles and in good condition (refer to 4.141)

Figure 4.141

The gradient of the pathway along the beach is suitable for outdoor use The walkway along the beach front is run in a circular pattern

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 104 Comments û The position of the pole is critical. The pole should not be located in the middle of the ramp kerb. It ruins the purpose of the ramp kerb û Layback with lip can be very dangerous to wheelchair user. The wheelchair user might fall down if they lose control û The walkway along Arden Street needs improvement too. We should not focus on the beach front only û Outdoor dining areas occupy too much space of the walkway, they become an obstacle for the walkway ü Handrails provided along the beach front walkway ü Stairs and ramping provision are combined at the beach front ü Beach front is fully wheelchair accessible

FACILITIES AT COOGEE BEACH

Refreshment Facilities Drinking fountains, picnic areas and BBQ areas are accessible at the beach front (refer to Figure 4.142)

Figure 4.142 Figure 4.143 Rest areas are provided with seats and seating space for a person using a wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.143) There are lots of Caf s along Arden Street and Coogee Bay Road

Comments ü Rest areas are everywhere along beach front, the atmosphere is very comfortable and cosy ü Picnic areas and BBQ facilities are in good condition, clean and tidy

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 105 SELF REFLECTION

My wheelchair and I stood out very clearly along the beach side, people kept paying attention to me. There were a few incidents at Coogee including:

I had lunch at one of the Caf s on Arden Street. I chose to sit outside because I thought I would get more space outside. Waitresses are very passionate there. They took the chair away and made sure my wheelchair fitted to the dinning table. I felt I was very welcome and comfortable there. However, one lady pointed at me and the wheelchair while I was having my lunch. She didn t say anything to me but I felt discriminated against by her When I was going around the beach, one little girl riding a bike, pointed at me and said Why is she here? Then her dad said, Shut up! I feel that education for children is very important, children should have some understanding about disability Everyone looking at me when I was waiting in the terminal. I think it is because my wheelchair blocked a few people s spaces when I was in the terminal. I didn t feel comfortable when they were looking at me

I strongly believe that disabled people can use all facilities at the beach front and they will have good time there. Coogee beach front is an area which is suitable for disabled people to enjoy themselves and relax.

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 106 2006 WALLABIES FAN DAY

Date 29 May 2006 Time 3.30 pm 4.30 pm Location Coogee Oval, Brook Street, Coogee Cost Free Weather Sunny

Figure 4.144 i: Map and the audit route of 2006 Wallabies Fan Day

Brief description of the Event: 2006 Wallabies Fan Day (refer to Figure 4.114 i) was organised by Randwick City Council and the Australian Rugby Union (ARU). People can watch the Wallabies train at Coogee Oval and would have a chance to meet the favourite Wallabies and obtain autographs. The Wallabies Fan Day is free to all attendees and will be a family friendly environment. The atmosphere is always a happy one, with face painters, Wally the mascot, giveaways, rugby interactive opportunities and music. It truly is a colourful community event! (Randwick City Council, 2006)

PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) 2 x Off Street (within Oval s off street parking facility) (refer to Figure 4.144) 2 x On Street (along Brook Street, on either side of the Oval s main entrance)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 107 Figure 4.144

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) None available.

Non-Dedicated 40 x Off Street parking within Oval s parking facility. The facility is accessed from Alfreda Street. On-street parking available along Alfreda Street and Brook Street

Design The surface of the parking spaces was painted blue with wheelchair logos. A wheelchair sign was erected adjacent to disabled spaces. The ground of the parking areas is firm and slip resistant and in a good condition

Comments ü The number of disabled spaces at this venue was considered suitable for an event of this size. ü The quality of the materials conveys a sense of durability. ü The state of the dedicated facility is considered to be satisfactory, reflecting Council s effort to provide a modern and well maintained infrastructure for public use. ü Signage is considered to be satisfactory.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 108 None available

Bus Bus Terminal on Arden Street with services to the city, the airport and eastern suburbs.

Taxi Taxi Stand on Arden Street, adjacent to Oval (i.e. north of Alfreda Street)

Comments ü Both the bus terminal and taxi stand are conveniently located in close proximity to the Oval

PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilet 1 stand alone cubicle provided within Oval venue Facility located approximately 5 minutes from Oval s main entrance Facility not locked Disabled toilet entrance is just wide enough to accommodate wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.145) Dimensions of toilet makes it difficult to maneuver, (maybe we weren t skilled enough?)

Figure 4.145 Signage Signage on the door No signage throughout the Oval venue

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 109 Comments û Disabled toilets should be provided on either side of the Oval û The toilet cubicle is considered to be too small û There is inadequate signage to inform the disabled where toilet facilities are

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Crossing Crossing of Arden Street provided at Coogee Bay Road traffic lights There are no formal crossings in the vicinity of the oval on Brook Street and Dolphin Street The entrance of the off street Oval parking facility contains a raised speed hump which facilitates wheelchair access (refer to Figure 4.146).

Figure 4.146 Walkways Tiled pathways from the parking facility only extend several metres along Alfreda Street. From then on, one must navigate across dirt paths to reach the Oval s southern entrance(refer to Figure 4.147).

Figure 4.147 In order to access the spectator stands on the western side of the Oval, I had to exit the Oval and walk along the dirt path along Alfreda Street and re-enter at the Brook Street Entrance (refer to Figure 4.148).

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 110 Figure 4.148

Ramps, Kerbs Although ramp kerbs have been constructed at the Oval s entrances, they have not been well maintained (refer to Figure 4.149).

Figure 4.149 Comments The lack of pathways surrounding the Oval makes it difficult for the wheelchair-bound to navigate to different areas, without having to endure a bumpy ride

FACILITIES IN THE OVAL

Spectator stands There is stairs-only access to the spectator stand and no way for me to get up there, so I stay in front of the spectator stands (refer to Figure 4.150 and Figure 4.151)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 111 Figure 4.150 Figure 4.151

Stores The temporary store is unreachable for wheelchair users (refer to Figure 4.152)

Figure 4.152

Water fountain The height of the water fountain is suitable for wheelchair user (refer to Figure 4.153)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 112 Figure 4.153 Comments û It seems like there is no arrangement for disabled people at spectator stands, do they expect wheelchair users to just stay in front of the spectator stand? û The counter of the store is too high; I could not even touch the counter. I don t think I can buy anything if there are so many people in front of the store

SELF REFLECTION

Rugby is the main character at this event, therefore, there were lots of people playing rugby on the grass area. While my wheelchair was moving on the grass area, it nearly hurt a child. He did not notice me because he was moving backward and tried to catch the rugby. I actually yelled out saying STOP! . Luckily, he did not hit my wheelchair but he gave me a bad look.

There were some rugby games for children and the games were sponsored by Ford . While I was watching how the children played the game, one lady from Ford come to me and gave me a little rugby which they usually give to children. I was glad that she did not see me as invisible.

I felt so lost when I got close to the spectator stand . One question come to my mind - Where should I stay? I could not gain access to the spectator stands because there are stairs access only. I strongly believe that they should put a signage or reserve some spaces for wheelchair user in front of the spectator stands. However, I feel that I am special when I was watching Wallabies training on the lawn. People were so nice, they let me go in front of the platform and give me a good position to watch the training.

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 113 I feel very disappointed about the pathway around the oval. I was forced to move my wheelchair on the dirt walkway with soil and grass. My hands are very dirty after this trip. I think the walkway really needs treatment!

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 114 HORNSBY TOWN CENTRE

Dates 21 May 2006 Time 02. 00 pm 05 .00pm Weather Sunny

Brief description of Hornsby Town Centre: The Hornsby Town Centre (refer to Figure 4.154) is dissected by the Main North railway corridor, and consists of two halves: the Western Town and the Eastern Town.

The Western Town consists of a traditional shopping village which runs along the Old Pacific Highway, as well as momumental buildings including the Courthouse and the Hornsby Shire Council Chamber.

The Eastern Town is focused upon the pedestrianised mall on Florence Street. A Westfield shopping centre is the centre of attraction, consisting of department stores, a cinema, restaurants and a range of stores. At the centre of the pedestrian mall is a water feature, which acts as the point of focus. A pedestrian bridge spanning over George Street provides access between the pedestrianised mall and Hornsby Station.

Figure 4.154: Map and the Audit Route of Hornsby Town Centre

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 115 PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None available

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) Station commuter parking facility divided into two areas. Northern area contains no space and no lift access. Southern area contains eight disabled spaces no signage to indicate spaces only at southern end (refer to Figure 4.155 & 4.156)

Figure 4.155 Figure 4.156

Non-Dedicated Approximately 150 off street parking at station car park next to George Street Approximately 20 on street parking along George Street On-street parking available at Burdett Street, Florence Street, Hunter Street and Muriel Street

Comments ü The disabled designated parking bays are in a suitable size ü The disabled parking areas are clearly signed with a blue disabled logo on the ground and on pole ü The disabled parking bays are the closest parking spaces to the accessible entrances û Hornsby Station car park is the only place who provide street disabled parking in the town centre

Facilities in the Hornsby Station Hornsby station is a wheelchair accessible station. There are lots of facilities at Hornsby station including a lift (refer to Figure 4.157), a compliant ramp from street

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 116 level and accessible toilet (refer to Figure 4.156)

Figure 4.156 Figure 4.157

The ticket machine (refer to Figure 4.158) can be used and reached by a wheelchair user. However, the ticket counter (refer to Figure 4.159) is a bit too tall for a wheelchair user to reach

Figure 4.158 Figure 4.159

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail Hornsby Station is adjacent to Westfield. The walkway bridge can be used over George Street to Hornsby Westfield

Bus The bus terminal is next to the Hornsby Station. Most bus services are provided by Shorelink (refer to Figure 4.160)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 117 Only a few bus services provide disabled access Bus service in Hornsby station with services to Mt Colah, Hornsby Height, Lindfield, Kuring-gai and Normanhurst There are at least nine bus routes at Hornsby Station Bus stops are located on a slope with a steep gradient, there is potential risk for the disabled (refer to Figure 4.161)

Figure 4.161 Taxi A taxi rank available close by Hornsby Station

Comments ü Accessible facilities available at Hornsby Station û Only a few bus provide disabled access to disabled people

PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilet None available

Comments A disabled toilet is provided at the station and Westfield, and they are very close to each other, so I think it s alright that there is no public toilet in the town centre

REST AREAS There are some seats provided along the domain in town centre There is a water fountain in the domain, people can sit and rest next to it (refer to Figure 4.162)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 118 Figure 4.162 (source: Waitara Apartment)

Comments ü The rest area has a comfortable atmosphere in the town centre ü Seating provided in the town centre

STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Pedestrian Crossing Pedestrian crossings are on Burdett street, Edgeworth David Avenue and Florence street One traffic light crossing at the corner of George Street and Burdett Street, another traffic light crossing is at the corner of George Street and Edgeworth David Avenue, One traffic light crossing at Edgeworth David Avenue (refer to Figure 4.163)

Figure 4.163 Crossing space is wide enough for two wheelchairs to pass easily The pedestrian crossings are marked clearly Some of the crossing areas are slightly raised and paved (refer to Figure 4.164)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 119 Figure 4.164 Pedestrian Bridge The pedestrian bridge spanning across George St, connects Hornsby Station to Hunter Street Pedestrian Arcade and the Westfield Shopping Centre (refer to Figure 4.165) Bridge design incorporates weather shelter. However, the state of the bridge reflects a patchy maintenance regime (refer to Figure 4.165 & 4.166) Ramps are located at both ends (refer to Figure 4.166)

Figure 4.165 Figure 4.166

Handrails are only available at the Hornsby Station side, the handrails do continue through the landing to the car park (refer to Figure 4.167)

Figure 4.167

The middle part of the bridge lacks a handrail and fence (refer to Figure 4.168)

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 120 Figure 4.168

Kerb Ramp The kerb ramp is located at a marked crossing but it is not wholly contained within the designated crossing area Most kerb ramps are in place at street corners, pedestrian crossing and driveways and any other crossing points (refer to Figure 4.169) Most kerb ramps are indicated by a change in colour or texture (refer to Figure 4.169)

Figure 4.169 Roll top kerbs can be found at the Hunter Street Pedestrian Arcade (refer to Figure 4.170)

Figure 4.170

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 121 Ramp and Landing The ramp and landing are connected to the Hunter Street Pedestrian Arcade and Westfield (refer to Figure 4.171)

Figure 4.171

Most of local shops and services are located on the ground floor, however, some of them have a step access (refer to Figure 4.172)

Figure 4.172

Paths and walkways Walkway are fully paved with a firm and stable surface, slip resistance and in good condition at Hunter Street Pedestrian Arcade (refer to Figure 4.173) There is an accessible pathway of travel between public areas and services such as banks and the post office The walkway is clear of obstacles. Bins, planter boxes and bollards are all in one line The footpaths are wide enough to accommodate a large pedestrian flow and a wheelchair

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 122 Figure 4.173 Comments û Roll top kerbs are not desirable for wheelchairs ü The walkway is in a very good condition, I can t even find any uneven surface ü The ramp and landing is well design and very accessible ü There is a good colour contrast between road way and walkway

FACILITIES IN THE TOWN CENTRE

Telephone There are two phone booths located at Hunter Street Pedestrian Arcade, next to the entrance of the pedestrian bridge (refer to Figure 4.173 & 4.174) There is a clear space provided in front of the telephone for a wheelchair user to approach (refer to Figure 4.173 & 4.174)

Figure 4.173 Figure 4.174

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 123 ATM ATMs are provided outside the bank ATMs are not fully reachable, it really depends on the design of the ATM. But most of them are suitable for wheelchair users

Bins The location and the height of waste bins are appropriate, they are reachable by disabled people

Comments ü Facilities in the town centre are consider as adequate and suitable for disabled people

HORNSBY WESTFIELD SHOPPING CENTRE

Approach to Shopping Centre The shopping centre is within easy walking distance of public transport The main paths to the mall entrances are continuous accessible paths of travel The main path is the most direct path of travel The surface of the entry points is not slip resistant A wide self opening door is available at the entry point Clearly-defined threshold and level entrance. The entrance width allows a few wheelchairs to pass There is a ramp with a weather roof outside the Hunter Street exist. Handrails are on both sides of the ramp and the surface of the ramp is slip resistant (refer to Figure 4.175)

Figure 4.175

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 124 Disabled Toilets There are five disabled toilets in the shopping centre (3 levels) One stand alone cubicle is provided in the shopping centre The disabled toilet entrance is wide enough to accommodate wheelchair The disabled toilet is in a large size

Parking in the Shopping Centre Approximately four disabled parking spaces at each level Senior Parking is available in the car park, it just right next to the disabled car park (refer to Figure 4.176) There are designated parking bays for persons with disabilities near the entry points (refer to Figure 4.177) The designated parking bays are a large size (refer to Figure 4.177) The designated parking areas are clearly signed with the blue print disable symbol in use (refer to Figure 4.17)

Figure 4.177 Figure 4.178

Comments ü The shopping centre is in a good position in the town centre. Bus services and rail station are within walking distance ü Seniors parking is provided in the car park ü The facilities in the shopping centre are adequate

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 125 SELF REFLECTION

I think that Hornsby Town Centre provides a pleasant trip for a wheelchair user especially the area around Westfield shopping centre. I feel that I can be more independent in the Hornsby Town Centre even though I am with a wheelchair.

I was impressed when I saw the senior parking bays in Westfield, this was the first time I have seen Senior parking bays in the built environment. I think senior people will get more chances to suffer in movement restriction so it is good that they can have a priority in parking.

When I was counting down the number of disabled parking bays next to the Hornsby station, I found that one disabled parking bay being misused. I was about to take a picture of this car but then the car owner suddenly showed up and explained that he was in hurry and that he had stayed there for five minutes. He looked very scared, he was probably scared that I would mark down his number plate and report it to some organisation.

Another incident which shocked me was I seeing a needle while my wheelchair was moving on the pedestrian bridge. It really scared me, I imagined what would happened if the needle had stuck with my wheelchair tyre and I had touched it! It seems like wheelchair users will have more chance to have an accident like this

The only disadvantage I found at Hornsby is the topography itself. When I was driving near Hornsby, my car always had to go uphill and down hill. I think it would be a hard task for disabled people to manage a wheelchair in this kind of physical environment.

Chapter 4: Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 126 CROSSLANDS RESERVE

Date 31 May 2006 Time 3.15 pm 4.30pm Location Somerville Road, Hornsby Heights Organiser City of Sydney Council (CoSC) Cost Free Weather Cloudy

Brief Description of the park: Crosslands Reserve (refer to figure 4.179) is one of the parks introduced on the Hornsby Shire Council website. In 1924 Crosslands Reserve was described as the most ideal spot on the river where access of turf covered banks sloping down to the water s edge. Today Crosslands is a populalr picnic and camping area close to Hornsby. (Hornsby Shire Council, 2006)

Crosslands Reserve is a place which provides an attractive setting for a multitude of recreational activities and wilderness experience. There are lots of things people can do in the Crossland reserve including picnicking and barbeques, bushwalking, camping, fishing, children s playground bike riding and nature observation

Figure 4.179: Map and the Audit Route of Crossland Reserve

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 127 PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None available

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) None available

Non-Dedicated Parking areas are available at the end of Somerville road but this is not an official parking areas. There are no clear lines for parking spaces so the numbers of parking spaces is unknown. (refer to Figure 4.178)

Figure 4.178 Design Signage cannot be found in the parking areas There is no design for the parking areas The ground of the parking areas is not slip resistant and not in a good condition. The ground can be define as on unlevel gravel surface

Comments û Lack of parking facilities at the car park, there is no signage for parking areas at all û No division for parking spaces û Disabled parking spaces are not provided û There is no accessible pedestrian walkway in the parking areas û Gravel should be replaced with a non-slip material

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 128 PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail Hornsby Station is approximately 45 minutes away by car Mt Kuring-gai Station is approximately 30 minutes away by car

Bus There is a bus services available to the Main Gate of the park. However, the main gate is 2.5 km gravel road from the park The only bus service is Route 596 provided by Shoreline, going to Hornsby Station

Taxi A taxi stand is not available at the main gate

Comments It seems like the car is the only option since no public transport services can be reached to Crosslands Reserve Public transport services to Crossland Reserve are considered inadequate

PUBLIC TOILET

Disable Toilet There are toilet facilities on site, however, a disabled toilet is not provided The toilet does not seem to be in a good condition; a bad smell was spreading from the toilet There is no way that the wheelchair could get into the female or male toilet, the entrance being too narrow

Comments û A disabled toilet should be provide on site û A public toilet should be maintained in good and clean condition û No toilet signage on site

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 129 PEDESTRIAN AMENTIY, WALKWAYS AND RAMPS

Walkways No accessible walkway from the parking areas to the park, the wheelchair has to go across on unlevel gravel surface to get into the park (refer to Figure 4.179)

Figure 4.179 Figure 4.180 The walkway is very doggy and has poor maintenance (refer to Figure 4.180) There is no paved walkway at all in the park There is no accessible walkway from the parking areas to the picnic and BBQ area Obstacles can be found along the walkway such as pieces of wood, rubbish, cans etc The material of the walkway does not give a smooth ride to the wheelchair, it is very hard to move on (refer to Figure 4.181)

Figure 4.181

Ramps There are no ramps at all in the park

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 130 Comments û A paved and non-slip surface walkway is needed û Better design is needed for disabled access û A walkway should be provided and connected to the picnic areas û Directional signs are needed in the park

FACILITIES IN THE PARK

Refreshment facilities Drinking fountains and BBQ areas cannot be found in the park Picnic areas are provided. Some of the picnic areas have shelter and a paved area. (refer to Figure 4.182 & 4.183)

Figure 4.182 Figure 4.183

Seating facilities such as benches cannot be found in the park (refer to Figure 4.184)

Figure 4.184

Comments û Not all the heights of the picnic tables are suitable for wheelchair user û The wheelchair has to get through messy lawn to reach the picnic tables û The picnic areas are the only rest areas in the park

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 131 û There is a lack of refreshment facilities in the park

SELF REFLECTION

Honestly, I don t have a good impression of this park. The atmosphere of this park is weird and uncomfortable. It is hard to feel relaxed when I see rubbish, wood and messy grass every where, I really did not feel that I am in the park.

Furthermore, this place does not have easy access. I believe that the most convenient way to get there is by car. The 2.5 km gravel road from the main gate is not a pleasant drive.

I strongly recommend that disabled people not go to this park. There is no way that disabled people can enjoy their time in this park. The park lacks facilities, I can t believe that they don t even have the basic facilities disabled parking or a disabled toilet. I personally think that this park discriminates against disabled people since I could not find a single thing which is designed for disabled people. I think this is a model of exclusive design. Does it imply that disabled people are not welcome at the park?

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 132 FAGAN PARK

Date 31 May 2006 Time 12.00 noon 2.30 pm Location 38 48 Arcadia Road, Galston

Cost Entry Cost $4 per car Weather Cloudy

Brief Description of the park:

Figure 4.185: Map and the Audit Route of Fagan Park

Fagan Park (refer to Figure 4.185) is one of the parks introduced on the Hornsby Shire Council website. Fagan Park is a park which contains an area of about 55 hectares. The park was adopted as Council s bicentennial project and was opened in 1988. There are so many attractions in Fagan Park, including gardens of many nations, picnic and barbecue areas, rural museums, a children s playground, bushland with a short bushwalking trail, areas for games and kite flying and paths for bicycle riding. (Hornsby Shire Council)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 133 PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None available

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) None available

Non-Dedicated Parking areas are provided at Carrs Road and Arcadia Road. However, the numbers of parking spaces is unknown. There are no clear lines for parking spaces

Design I acknowledge that is a car park because of the signage - 90 degree angle parking The number of parking spaces is unknown. There are no clear lines for parking spaces. In my estimation, the parking areas at Carrs Road + Arcadia Raod can fit in at least 100 cars The ground of the parking areas is not slip resistant and not in good condition. The ground can be define as unlevel gravel floor (refer to Figure 4.186)

Figure 4.186 Comments û Lack of parking facilities at the car park, there is only two signage - 90 degree for parking areas û No division for parking spaces û Disabled parking spaces are not provided on site û There is no accessible pedestrian walkway in the parking areas û Gravel surface should be replaced with non-slip surface

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 134 PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail Hornsby Station is approximately 30 minutes away by car

Bus The bus service available seven days is Route 638 provided by Glenorie Bus Company, which provided access between Berrilee and Galston to Castle Hill and Pennant Hill

Taxi I could not spot any taxi passing the park

Comments Public transport services to Fagan Park were considered inadequate. Car is the best choice if you want to approach the park

PUBLIC TOILET

Disable Toilet One stand alone cubicle provided at Arcadia Road main entrance and one stand alone cubicle provided at Carrs Road picnic area Facilities located approximately five minutes from the Arcadia Road main entrance Facilities not locked A wheelchair access ramp connected to the toilet facility The disabled toilet entrance is just wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.187) The disabled toilet is considered as small

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 135 Figure 4.187

Signage Disabled signage is placed on the door and next to the door No directional signage to inform the location of the toilet throughout the park

Comments û Given that the area of the park is big, disabled toilets should not be provided on either side of the park only û The toilet cubicle is considered to be too small û There is inadequate signage to inform the location of the toilets ü It is good that there is a ramp facility which directly connects to the toilet facilities since the toilet is located on the lawn

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, WALKWAYS AND RAMPS

Walkways No accessible walkway from the parking areas to the park entrance, the wheelchair has to go across the unlevel gravel surface to get into the park No accessible walkway from the parking areas to the picnic and BBQ area next to the main entrance No clear walkway from the park entrance to the heart of the park (refer to Figure 4.188)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 136 Figure 4.188 Figure 4.189 The walkway is wide enough for wheelchair access in the park (refer to Figure 4.189) Most part of the walkway is an unlevel gravel surface which does not have a firm or non-slip surface to support the wheelchair.(refer to Figure 4.189) Subcontinuous and narrow walkway is available towards playground areas and some BBQ shelter from the park entrance (refer to Figure 4.190 & 4.192)

Figure 4.190 Figure 4.192

Ramps There is a wheelchair accessible ramp from the parking areas to the toilet facilities which it is connected to the gravel walkway (refer to Figure 4.193)

Figure 4.193 The hand rail is not continuous on this ramp and only available at one side (refer to Figure 4.193)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 137 The surface of the ramp is uneven and cracked (refer to Figure 4.194) The gradient of the walkway is not constant, the slope is too steep (refer to Figure 4.194) The ramp is considered as too narrow for a wheelchair user (refer to Figure 4.194)

Figure 4.194 Subcontinuous accessible ramp is available from the parking areas to the picnic shelters (refer to Figure 4.195)

Figure 4.195 Comments û Poor design of the walkways and ramps which can only fit one wheelchair and it s hard to share the way with pedestrian û A paved walkway should be put in the park in order to connect the parking areas and picnic and BBQ areas û Directional signs needed in the park

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 138 FACILITIES IN THE PARK

Refreshment facilities Drinking fountains, picnic areas and BBQ areas can be found in the park. However, the locations of the facilities are not directly connected to the ramps and walkways Those refreshment facilities can be used by the wheelchair user and are suitable for the height of a wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.196 & 4.197)

Figure 4.196 Figure 4.197

Rest areas are provided with seats and seating space for a person using a wheelchair (refer to Figure 4.198)

Figure 4.198

Comments ü The height of the picnic table is suitable for a wheelchair user

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 139 ü The wheelchair user can stay under the shelter in the picnic area ü The wheelchair can get through easily between picnic tables ü The water fountain can be used by the wheelchair user û The wheelchair has to get through the lawn to use those refreshment facilities

SELF REFLECTION

This is not a nice experience for a wheelchair user at all. Most of the time, the wheelchair is moving on the lawn and an unlevel gravel surface. Given that the topography of the park is very steep, all these aspects have created restricted access to the park.

I really think that it is very unsafe for the wheelchair user to move on the gravel floor, my wheelchair always got stuck in the loose sand and rocks. Ironically, I found that the wheelchair moved more easier on the lawn, and I felt more secure riding on the lawn.

In fact, I feel that the park did not offer sufficient support for people with mobility limitations. I think that the wheelchair user must be accompanied with others if they want to go to the park. It is very hard for them to handle the wheelchair all by themselves.

Even though I don t think this park is accessible, I saw a few disabled children in the playground areas in the company of others. They looked like they were from an institution. I guess the playground area is the most accessible area in the park for them. After I saw them, I wonder if it proved that this was a park with good facilities for disabled people, or if this was just the closest park for them

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 140 ASQUITH PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNTRY HARVEST FAIR

AND MARKET

Date 27 May 2006 Time 11.00 am 12.30 pm Location Asquith Public School, Dudley Street, Asquith Cost Free Weather Cloudy

Brief Description of the Market:

The event is at Asquith Public School. (refer to Figure 4.199) This is a good event for family. There are a playground and large area with rides for kids. Band show, food stalls, craft and art stalls and clothes stalls could be found in the market. (Hornsby Shire Council)

Figure 4.199: Map and the Audit Route of the Event

PARKING

Dedicated Disabled (Large) None available

Dedicated Disabled (Normal) None available There were no dedicated disabled parking spaces on the street

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 141 After driving around the school site, there were no signs indicating that the school s parking facilities could be used. We were led to believe that disabled parking was not available.

Non-Dedicated Attendees of the event were parking their vehicles along the roads surrounding the school, i.e. Royston Parade. Dudley St and Hazelmead Road.

Comments û It was difficult to find a parking space on the street, and there was no disabled parking provided on the streets surrounding the school.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Rail Asquith Railway Station is approximately 10 minutes away from the school grounds. Hornsby Station, which is easily accessed, is approximately 5-10 minutes away by car.

Bus The bus service available on the day was Route 593 provided by Shorelink, which provides access between Mt Colah and Hornsby. The Shorelink fleet has buses that provide disabled access, but the one bus we spotted was an older vehicle, which could not accommodate wheelchairs.

Taxi We could not spot any taxis passing the school during the 5 minutes we spent observing traffic along Royston Parade

Comments û Public transport services to Asquith Primary School was considered slightly inadequate. However I acknowledge any disabled person wishing to come to this event will make their way by car, together with family members.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 142 PUBLIC TOILET

Disabled Toilet An Accessable Toilet was provided on site. However, on first investigation it was locked and we were not able to enter. On the approach to the toilet, my wheelchair had to navigate across a temporary plastic hump, which was there to protect the electrical wiring of the fair equipments (refer to Figure 4.200).

Figure 4.200 Figure 4.201

Signage A temporary paper sign was stuck on the door (refer to Figure 4.201)

Comments û The fact that the toilet was locked made it inconvenient for disabled event attendees, despite good intentions to provide it û The yellow hump, despite being temporary, was not easy to cross on a wheelchair

PEDESTRIAN AMENITY, STREETSCAPE AND FURNITURE

Crossings There were no crossings on Royston Parade into the School Grounds (refer to Figure 4.202 & 4.203)

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 143 Figure 4.202 Figure 4.203

Walkways There were pathways along the Royston Parade and Dudley Street. The width of the paths was sufficient to accommodate a wheelchair, but not pedestrians walking alongside (refer to Figure 4.204). Access into the Fair was via entrance gates along Dudley Street. The width of the gates were just adequate. (refer to Figure 4.205)

Figure 4.204 Figure 4.205

Kerb Ramps Kerbs were constructed with laybacks.

Comments û The level of traffic on Royston Parade made it difficult for wheelchairs to cross it. û The width of the pathways were considered to be on the narrow side, however many pedestrians have made way for us during our visit.

FACILITIES IN THE FAIR

Pathways The quality of the paths was just acceptable. Tree roots have in time raised some

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 144 of the concrete slabs, and despite efforts to restore them, the unevenness of the surface is not accommodating to the wheelchair bound and a potential hazard for young children and elderly Some of the pathways have been used for seating and dining purposes and hence the wheelchair was forced required to navigate through grass (refer to Figure 4.206). The slope from the playground to the classrooms was not paved and the gradient was not suitable for wheelchairs. Even with the wheels locked, the wheelchair began to slide down the slope! (refer to Figure 4.207)

Figure 4.206 Figure 4.207 Some concrete slabs within the school were not constructed with safety in mind. The difference in grade between the slab and natural ground as illustrated in Figure 4.208 is a hazard for a wheelchair bound person

Figure 4.208 Figure 4.209 First Aid Wheelchair ramps were provided to the school s first aid facility (refer to Figure 4.209).

Stalls All the stalls were reachable from the wheelchair

Comments û The slope is too steep for wheelchairs and the lack of paving makes it very difficult to navigate between the upper and lower school grounds

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 145 SELF-REFLECTION

As I read from the council web site, this event is labelled as all welcome thus for everybody in society. I think this event is very good for a family with children. However, I don t think disabled people can enjoy this event. There is some evidence to support my point of view, which is:

Lack of disabled facilities on site disabled parking is not available, the walkway is narrow around the school and the disabled toilet was locked I did not feel safe when I was at the event, ramping was not available on site, my wheelchair was forced to move on steep grass and sand areas The topography of the site is not suitable for disabled use, uphills and downhills everywhere in the school The disabled toilet is locked, there is no signage to inform me where to get the key I did not feel very happy at this event because this area was not accessible and did not seem welcoming to the disabled

There was a band show at the event, which is the only activity I could get involved in. People did not mind give way to me, so I was at the front to see the show. Lots of children looked at me in a strange way during the event, I did not know what they were thinking. I noticed that a baby s pram had the same problem as mine, it was forced to move on the steep grass areas as well. I realised that ramping could provide lots of convenience to others as well.

Chapter 4: The Wheelchair and I: A Documentary 146 RESEARCH OUTCOMES FINDINGS OF FIELD OBSERVATION

As illustrated in the previous chapter, the audit has listed the barriers and some good design in the built environment. This chapter will analyse my finding regarding the design of the built environment. Subsequent to the audit, below is a broad overview of common issues and problems I believe apply to disabled people in the built environment. I will also analyse the effectiveness of the current policy and guidelines. Suggestions for future improvements are offered to address the issue of disabilities.

COMMON PROBLEMS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Streetscape and Furniture Unevenness and Wheelchair Un-friendly Surfaces With the exception of sidewalks along major thoroughfares in the Sydney CBD, such as George Street and Pitt Street Mall, the issues of uneven and poorly paved surfaces are widespread in all Sydney urban environments.

Cracks and potholes are a common sight on concrete surfaces and on most occasions, repairs have been hasty quick fixes that often do not solve the issue of unevenness. Concrete patches also do not hold up well in times of bad weather and often fall to pieces, posing a safety risk to elderly and persons with disabilities. Transition between different surfaces is often marked by a difference in height, causing pedestrians and wheelchairs users discomfort and potentially acting as trip hazards. Even in areas of well paved or tiled surfaces, metallic drain covers can become very slippery when wet and can act as slip hazards.

It is understandable that access into natural parklands and reserves would generally be loose surface materials. However, I believe that the provision of concrete slabbing as pathways between the entrance(s) and major park facilities is probably not a big ask, given the greater convenience and comfort that the slabs will produce for wheelchair users.

Poorly Designed Kerb Ramps Overall, I was satisfied that kerb ramps are almost always available at road

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 147 intersections and crossings. However, there is definitely scope to improve the design of kerb ramps themselves.

Perhaps one of the biggest issues is the gradient of kerb ramps. On many occasions, the gradients are too steep, thus creating a quick fall and an uncomfortable bump on the way down, and considerable effort to climb on the way up. Such poorly design interfaces between the sidewalks and road carriageways mean that wheelchair users often have to endure a bumpy ride, causing discomfort and stress to the wheelchair itself. If approached at speed without realising, these ramps could potentially become a hazard causing a wheelchair user to fall off from their wheelchair.

In addition, the surfaces of kerb ramps are generally too similar in colouring with surrounding surfaces and it is at times hard to see where the slope is. There has been occasions where I nearly rolled onto the road carriageway as a result of not realising the fall.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Partially Accessible Transport Perhaps a major issue I observed as part of the audit was the partial accessibility of public transport. The leading contributing factor is perhaps the inadequacy of the fleet and the infrastructure.

Modern wheelchair accessible buses generally feature kneeling suspension, flat no-step floors, and automatic extendable wheelchair ramps to facilitate the elderly and less mobile. However, these modern buses only make up a very small proportion of the bus operator s fleet. According to their websites:

· State Transit Authority s fleet are 35% wheelchair accessible (Sydney Buses 2006) · HillsBus s (refer to Figure 5.1)fleet are approximately 18% wheelchair accessible (Hill s Buses) · Shorelink has acquired 12 accessible buses during 2005-06. However there is no information as to what portion of their fleet is wheelchair accessible.

This, to me, seems to be fairly low percentages.

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 148 Figure 5.1

In relation to heavy rail, all CityRail rolling stock (refer to Figure 5.2), with the exception of the old Hunter cars, are wheelchair accessible when used with a platform-to-train boarding ramp (City Rail, 2006).

Figure 5.2 The need for the ramp is to overcome the gap and the vertical difference between the platform and the train door. Passengers in wheelchairs are requested to seek the assistance of station staff or train guards in order to board the trains. These practices are similar to those of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) in Hong Kong (MTR Corporation, 2006).

However coming from Hong Kong, I specifically remember that the platform gaps and height differences on the MTR and Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) systems are actually much smaller. In addition, the condition of and the accessible facilities provided at MTR and KCR stations, such as the number of accessible lifts, provision of tactile tiles and the quality of platform surfaces, is overall much better when compared to CityRail Stations. I understand that CityRail have in place a station

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 149 upgrade program which seeks to provide accessible facilities at its stations, and I hope that this program can be implemented swiftly and to all railway stations.

It can be observed that transport operators are working hard to provide accessible transport services in line with Commonwealth and NSW legislation, as well as the Government s Accessible Transport Action Plan for Transport Agencies. Ultimately, I believe it comes down to the amount of funding and resources available to these transport operators.

Signage Signage Signage is a very important yet often neglected part of life. It is particularly important to persons with disabilities, as legible and accurate signage could provide clear orientation and help minimise further inconvenience.

Yet, from my observations whilst undertaking the audit, signage is not always provided. Provision of signage is generally good within Shopping Centres, but is rather poor at events. For example, there was no signage which indicated the locations of toilets at the Coogee Oval Wallabies Fans Day and Asquith Public School Country Harvest Fair. There was also no signage indicating the exits and entrances in the Surry Hills Festival, City Night Market and Asquith Public School Country Harvest Fair. Although events are temporary in nature, signage should not be overlooked as it is extremely beneficial for the less mobile to orientate themselves and locate services or facilities.

Signage in parks is also lacking. Generally, there are only signs out front to display the Park s name. There are no signs indicating where cars can park in Fagan Park and Crossland Reserve, nor was there signage indicating where toilets are located at Coogee Beach, Fagan Park, Crossland Reserve and Pyrmont Park. The same applies to signage for picnic areas: none of the parks had them.

In addition to the lack of signage, I felt that some signs could be improved. For example, it is often difficult to locate on street disabled spaces whilst at the same time driving a vehicle. Most of the time, disabled parking spaces are only identified by a street sign post located next the space itself. By having an international symbol of accessibility painted on the ground (refer to Figure 5.3), the disabled space would be much more noticeable.

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 150 Figure 5.3

There are a number of design considerations to take note off when providing signage within the urban environment. These include (United Nations Enabled):

· The type of signs to provide: directional signs, signs of localities and street names and information signs · The visibility and legibility of signs: signs should be clear, simple, easy to understand · The placement of signs: signs should not be placed behind glass to prevent possible reflection and signage should not act as obstructions to path of travel

FACILITIES Poor Provision of Accessible Toilets In my wheelchair experiment, my first concern is the accessible toilet. I believe that accessible toilet is very important to disabled people because the disabled toilet is directly connect to our physical needs.

To my surprise, accessible toilets are not always provided. According to the findings of the audit, Coogee Beach and Crossland Reserve do not have accessible toilets and Town Hall Station does not have a female accessible toilet. I find it unacceptable that such an important transport node such as Town Hall Station does not have accessible facilities for both genders. Yet, CityRail.info still claims that Town Hall has Wheelchair Accessible toilet . Perhaps the website is not presenting the full story. Moreover, according to accessibility.com.au website, stations such as Bondi Junction and Redfern do not have accessibility toilets either.

Also, the provision of accessible toilets at some locations, in terms of number and location, are not considered to be appropriate. There are some venues that provide

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 151 accessible toilets but not all locations had area public toilets available. These included Pyrmont Point Park, Queen Victoria Building and Fagan Park.

I believe that no matter how many people visit the venue, or what sort of activities are carried out at that venue, accessible toilet facilities should be provided if a public toilet was made available. In addition, the provision of temporary accessible toilets is also important when works are being undertaken to toilets. Why should persons with disability be disadvantaged by the works being undertaken to the facilities at Coogee Oval, when an effort has been made to provide toilets to the non-disabled?

Thirdly, the dimensions of accessible toilets have also caused problems. It was difficult to judge with the eye whether standard dimensions have been employed, but from my experiences using the wheelchair, on occasions it was difficult to enter and turn due to the size of the doors and the amount of space within. Perhaps it is also to do with my lack of experience using a wheelchair, but the toilets at Coogee Oval and Fagan Park are unbelievably small that I feel experienced wheelchair users may also be challenged.

Shop Fronts and Old Buildings Most entry points into shopping centres and the shops within are flat, wide and accommodating to wheelchair users. However, at most open-air shopping arcades, steps at the entrance of the street/local stores often hinder wheelchair access.

Under my investigation, the entry point of shopping centres and retail areas are always clear and avoid hazards. However, most of the retail areas would have a big step in front of the shop. The big step acts as a barrier and causes inconvenience for wheelchair users, this barrier makes it difficult for disabled people hard to approach to the shop. As a result, wheelchair users might not be able to access to local shops in local areas. Evidence of this can be found at Randwick Junction, Maroubra Junction, Hornsby Public Domain, China Town and George Street.

Recreational Spaces may not be adequate for the Hosting of Events Through my observation, events generally allow wheelchair bound to take part in the event. They can access the event and navigate through the venue with relative ease. Even temporary in nature, Council/Event organiser should ensure that the venue is adequately equipped and with suitable facilities for disabled people.

This means improving the quality of their recreational spaces/facilities with accessible

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 152 toilets, adequate signage, accessible food stalls, rest areas and disabled parking facilities.

GOOD DESIGN / PLANNING PRACTICES IN THE BUILT

ENVIRONMENT

Streetscape and Furniture Immediate Kerb Ramp Access from Parking Space to Walkway I think it is a good idea if there is an immediate kerb ramp located in a suitable position (especially in front of the disabled parking bay) to allow access to the accessible walkway. It is much more convenient for disabled people if the kerb ramp is just nearby, so they do not need to go all the way back to the road way to search for the access kerb ramp.

When I was doing my wheelchair experiment, I always had to go a long way on the road way to find the near kerb ramp. In other words, I had to share the roadway with cars on the road way. Even though the ramp kerb was not very far from disabled parking bay I still felt very insecure when I needed to share the road with cars. (refer to Figure 5.4)

Figure 5.4 Better transition between surfaces Smooth, firm, slip resistance and stable surfaces are not the only requirement for walkways and roadways. We actually need better transition between surfaces in our built environment. In order to create a better transition between surfaces, footpaths and non-trafficable areas have to be separated by a clearly defined edge with

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 153 contrasting colour surface. I believe that different surface textures and colours should distinguish the roadway from the walkway. (refer to Figure 5.5) Also, full paving on walkway, pedestrian crossing and roadway provides a flat transition and it gives easier access to vehicle and pedestrian.

Figure 5.5

FACILITIES IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Automatic Door I believe that automated doors should be used more widely in the urban environment for the benefit of persons with disabilities. Although my lack of experience with a wheelchair has contributed to the difficulties I experienced in opening and closing doors, I experienced some difficulties in pushing / pulling toilet doors and sliding doors in local shops.

When I were sitting on the wheelchair, I had to use all the energy in my upper body to pull or push the door, whilst keeping myself balanced and ensuring that I did not fall out of the wheelchair. Sliding doors are the worst product for disabled people, there is no way for me to open the door by myself. Also, there is often a groove to guide the sliding door, which becomes an obstacle to the wheelchair. Even thought I am not skilled at manoeuvring the wheelchair, I am sure automation would be more convenient anyway. (refer to Figure 5.6)

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 154 Figure 5.6

Step free entrances Step free entrances are always provided in service / public sectors such as banks (refer to Figure 5.8), Centrelink, Library (refer to Figure 5.7), shopping centres etc. I think step free entrances should be located in all the shops in order to provide easy access for disabled people, and not only limited to the service and public sectors. Ideally, there should be a clear path of travel from outdoor to indoor areas.

There is no point having accessible walkways and kerb ramps in our built environment if disabled people cannot get into the shops. It is ridiculous if they can only use the walkway and kerb ramps for window shopping in some areas. Therefore, I believe that step free entrances to all shops are essential in order to make an easier life for disabled people.

Figure 5.7 Figure 5.8 Rest Areas accommodating to Wheelchairs

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 155 A park is a place for family gatherings, relaxation and enjoyment of the natural scenery. Therefore, rest areas are the soul of the recreation area. Through my observation, most of the picnic tables in picnic areas are reachable and accessible. I believe that the ideal picnic areas should be alongside pedestrian walkways. Picnic areas would have some spaces for a wheelchair between the dinning tables and seatings so the wheelchair can fit in. There should also be some knee space and leg room for wheelchair users, so they can enjoy their time in park in a comfortable way. (refer to Figure 5.8 & 5.9)

Figure 5.8 Figure 5.9

Seating should be provided in rest areas as well. Spaces for wheelchairs in between seating are recommended. (refer to Figure 5.10)

Figure 5.10

Public Facilities Public facilities such as telephones (refer to Figure 5.11), water fountains (refer to

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 156 Figure 5.12) seating (refer to Figure 5.13) and bins (refer to Figure 5.14) should be provided in the built environment in order to bring convenience to people. It is very important for us to make sure that these public facilities are accessible, reachable by disabled people and in an appropriate location.

Figure 5.11 Figure 5.12

Figure 5.12 Figure 5.13

Information For the convenience of persons with disability, The National Public Toilet Map website (refer to Figure 5.14) created by the Australian Federal Government is a very helpful resource.

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 157 Figure 5.14

The website pin points the locations of public toilets, including accessible toilets, by suburb, with information on the address and opening hours.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS

The key ingredients for the successful implementation of better design of built environment for disabled people are summarised below:

Secure lock, slip-resistant floors and automatic doors should be provided in accessible toilet In order to allow comfortable use, accessible toilets should have suitable dimensions and allow easy access Accessible toilets should be available at all events, occasions, recreation sites, shopping centres and in the public domain Make sure that all public facilities such as ATMs, public phones, water fountains are working and can be reached by disabled people Sufficient signage should be put in appropriate positions on all occasions; the good use of text and symbols will benefit disabled people Education and awareness about disability can be promoted by councils and other government and non-government agencies. It can be done by setting up workshops or committees in libraries or Council Hall Disabilities issues should be considered in the construction field, design field and by whomever else implements the facilities in the built environment, being aware of the difficulties that disabled people face The design of the streetscape (kerb ramp, ramping, landing etc) should be

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 158 constructed strictly in accordance with the guidelines in the Australian Standards, Council documents, HREOC and Building Codes of Australia Step free shop front should be promote and replaced by flat surface Uniform approach to placement of items within pedestrian zones including seating, tree planting, bollard and pole locations. Maintenance must also be considered Council has to ensure that adequate facilities such as disabled toilets, signage etc are provided on the sites of Event Immediate kerb ramps should be in place in front of disabled parking bays Better transition between surfaces is needed, especially between roadways and the walkways Greater Coordination between local government, state government and other agencies is essential

Summary

Planning for disabled in the build environment should have an initial intention in planning process, good urban design should be for everyone in the society Common problems in the built environment include poorly design streetscape, partially accessible public transport, lack of signage, poor provisions of accessible toilets etc Good design in the built environment includes provision of automatic doors, step free shop fronts, better transition between surfaces, immediate kerb ramps from the parking bays to walkway and the adequate public facilities

Chapter 5: Research Outcomes Findings of Field Observation 159 WAY FORWARD AND CONCLUSION

THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The role of the local government is very crucial, it has the responsibility to ensure that they provide easy access and a safe environment to all and especially to minority groups. The council has to ensure that they can satisfy the needs of disabled people and demands. In order to provide a quality built environment for all, the local government must:

Educate local government staff on compliance guidelines in workshops, programmes about disability and training session Provide information about disabled access in the LGAs via phone or internet, for example, Sydney City Council provides an access map, accessible parking spaces and accessible transport information via Council website Promote the awareness of disability in society, an Access Committee should be set up and meet on a regular basis, this is one of the way to hear comments and ideas on disability from the public Promote community services for the disabled people such as transportation and welfare support services to assist persons with disability Have a social plan under the Local Government Act, in NSW. Disability is only one of the focuses in the social plan. Indeed, an individual Disability Action Plan should be prepared in each council like Parramatta Council, Sydney City Council, North Sydney City Council and Ashfield Municipal Council Prepare an access Audit and accessible pedestrian pathways study to measure up the adaptability level for disabled in the built environment Access DCP might also proposed to help people provide and design for an accessible development in line of Leichhardt Council, Marrickville Council and Ashfield Municipal Council List a set standard and requirements in the Access DCP such as ramp design, texture/ material used on the walkway or pavement etc Put in place in Access DCP, guidelines for businesses and households to ensure movable items such as wheelie bins do not present as obstacles on sidewalks Have a standard to ensure that the placement of ATMs facilitate use by wheelchair bound persons in Access DCP Prepare signage Strategy DCP and Outdoor dinning areas DCP in conjunction with disability issues

Chapter 6: Way Forwards and Conclusions 160 Take into consideration that sometimes there are external factors (like topography) which may make certain locations less accessible for others and ensure the urban environment is still accessible e.g. hilly areas will require more ramps Monitor the provision and maintenance of the accessible streetscape by the local council. For example, monitor that accessible walkways are provided in all circumstance and upgrade the walkways in poor condition Take into account issues with disability in the Development Application process refering to the Council Access document and being in line with regulations such as Australian Standard Ensure that disabled facilities are sufficient on site when inspection is in place by council staff

THE ROLE OF PLANNER

In order to design a better environment for all in the built environment, planners must:

Consider the actual needs of disabled people at the initial stage in planning process Taken into account disabled people when preparing master plans or making legislation Understand the needs of different type of disabilities such as physical, mental, hearing and vision impairment Plan for the whole community and not be subjective or have prejudice against minority groups, fairness must be ensured. Ensure that disabled people have equal and safe access to public urban spaces. Walkway, footpaths, road and pedestrian crossings must be accessible, continually repaired and maintained. Specially designed facilities for disabled people should be put in place Not simply adopt controls for entire regions but undertake an assessment of the suitability of these controls and standards for specific areas. Community consultation would also be useful in this aspect.

PLANNING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

I think that planning for people with disabilities is a crucial move in the planning field. Given that the trend of the population is ageing, it is not hard for us to foresee that the

Chapter 6: Way Forwards and Conclusions 161 demand of accessible built environments will be increased. Nowadays, we have sound welfare and care systems available in Australia. Disabled people can choose to stay in special institutions or request special housing arrangements from some of the organisations. From my point of view, disabled people should not be locked out from the built environment. They have their right to choose their own life styles. They might prefer to stay inside the house or institution but we can not disregard the fact that they might want to go out and interact with society.

I think that freedom is the thing everyone cherishes, it is human nature that people want to live in a free and relaxed environment. I believe that if there are no barriers in the built environment, disabled people will have more chances to move around in the built environment.

In fact, we cannot exploit the fact that disabled people have their right to seek independence of movement and mobility; they have the right to participate in society and have equal rights and equal opportunities as everyone else in our society. However, barriers in built environment can become an obstacle to independence which de-value disabled people.

Barriers in built environments not only give inconvenience to disabled people and lock them away from the built environment, they also limit the disabled from having social interaction with the environment and discourage disabled people from developing social network. The way we design the built environment reflects our social attitudes in some way, non-disabling design shows that disabled people are not welcome or are being ignored in society.

MY EXPERIENCE ON WHEELCHAIR

I have to admit that I have learned a lot from the experiment when I was preparing my audit. There were lots of unexpected encounters in my adventure, I have experienced some of the difficulties being disabled I could feel the unacceptance by society, I could feel the inconvenience for a disabled person, I could see the barriers in the built environment. When I was undertaking the research about disabled people, I now have basic ideas about the potential barriers in the built environment, how people look at the disabled in a special way and the inconvenience disabled people face.

Chapter 6: Way Forwards and Conclusions 162 Honestly, when it comes to me in practice, I could not bear it. Let s put it this way, if you have not sat in a wheelchair, you can never truly understand how hard it is to be disabled. In all circumstances, I felt that I become very conscious in the wheelchair; people kept looking at me, I felt emotionally uncomfortable and out-of-place in public spaces because I looked special and different. Maybe they did not look at me on purpose but I really felt this way. To experience the environmental barriers and investigate the social attitudes are crucial parts in my audit, I can not think of any proper way to describe my feeling on the wheelchair but I can say that I am very fearful of dying or an incapacitating illness after this experience.

After I completed the audit in three different Local Government Areas Sydney City in CBD, Randwick in inner Sydney and Hornsby in outer Sydney, I found that different scopes gave me different experiences and feelings. In my opinion, I think it would be impossible to find a perfect place for disabled people, not only disabled people but everyone. Even though Sydney LGA is very convenient, it seems like Sydney LGA is always busy and crowded in which the wheelchair will block other people s ways. According to my experience, people in the CBD seem to dislike disabled people the most compared with Randwick and Hornsby. On the other hand, Hornsby LGA has a very irregular topography, up hills and down hills are everywhere, so I don t think it is good for disabled people. Also, public transport is generally not convenient for disabled people in this area.

Nevertheless, I found that Randwick, in inner Sydney is an ideal place for disabled people to live. In Randwick LGA, I felt more comfortable, this is the place I saw more disabled people around and this is the place I got less stares, and so less stress for disabled people. Even though some barriers exist in the public domain such as narrow walkways and uneven surface but the topography is relatively flat and easily accessible in Randwick LGA. Also, services are provided everywhere in the Randwick LGA including banks, Centrelink, the library, hospital, shopping centres and frequent bus services.

AN INCLUSIVE BUILT ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL

Good urban design should be for everyone of any age, with or without disability. Planners should work with communities, disabilities organisations, public sectors and designers in creating an accessible environment for all. The public areas and the built environment should address the needs of all disabled people and encourage

Chapter 6: Way Forwards and Conclusions 163 accessibility and mobility.

As a planner, we have to be more practical on the design of the built environment. There is no point in design something that disabled people can not use or that is inappropriate to them. Consequently, the functions of all the facilities have to adjust to their real needs and wants. More to the point is the fact that we need to create an environment to adjust to their needs, not disabled people adjusting to the environment.

It is very hard to understand the actual needs of disabled people but I think that non-disabling design in the built environment will be able to stop them getting involved in society and exploit their own rights. In my point of view, a barrier free environment can make disabled people happier and have a better life, they will have more chance to change their life style, develop their social network, change their income status, get more choices of entertainment, create a sense of belonging and enable independence.

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