translated by Yael Agassi
A meeting between the Mayor of Kiryat Bialik, Mr. Eli Dukorski and the representatives of Access Israel – Chairman Yuval Wagner and City-Council Member in charge of the Society’s projects in northern Israel, Dr. Revital Schwartz-Svirsky – resulted, among others, in the construction of an accessible picnic area in the city.
The picnic area is located on the banks of the Gedora River (a tributary of the Kishon River), one of Kiryat Bialik’s most popular picnic and barbecue spots.
The accessible picnic area, which is marked with the logo of Access Israel and disabled signs, comprises two tables that are specially designed for wheelchair users and the walking disabled. The tables have been located on a firm paved surface at the meeting point of easy-access asphalt pathways. Adjacent to the picnic area, two disabled parking spaces have been marked, which are connected to the accessible picnic platform by a moderate slope. The construction of the picnic area was sponsored by the Israel Government Tourist Corporation and the Kiryat Bialik Municipality.
The picnic area in Kiryat Bialik represents the Municipality’s ongoing efforts to increase the awareness to accessibility and the acceptance of the other. These efforts include the creation of crosswalk slopes in the main roads and the formulation of accessibility plans for public buildings, such as the municipal library, city hall, the orchestra building and the local youth cultural centers. Moreover, over the past school year, an educational program was carried out in the city’s educational institutions, which is designated to increase the awareness to accessibility and the acceptance of the other among the children of Kiryat Bialik.
