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Lake Kate Sheppard Bower Park

Posted in Regional; Tagged Parks and recreation; Posted 9 months ago by DPA Less than a minute to read

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To: Christchurch City Council
Date: June 2025

The submission aims to provide feedback to the Christchurch City Council on the Enhancing Lake Kate Sheppard and Bower Park project. DPA's objective is to make specific recommendations to improve the project's accessibility from a disability perspective across playgrounds, sports fields, and the Lake Kate Sheppard area, ensuring the spaces are usable by everyone, including disabled children and adults.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA welcomes the opportunity to give feedback to the Christchurch City Council on the Enhancing Lake Kate Sheppard and Bower Park project and supports the proposals outlined for upgrading the area. The submission focuses on making specific recommendations to improve the project's accessibility from a disability perspective.

For the playground area, DPA recommends that all pathways have compacted gravel surfacing to avoid people slipping. They ask that some play equipment is made accessible for everyone, including disabled tamariki/children. DPA also suggests making at least one table underneath the canopy an accessible table designed to accommodate wheelchair and mobility aid users, and installing park benches at various heights to accommodate diverse needs. DPA asks for at least one mobility parking place to be created in the parking area, located near the dunes and swales for accessibility.

Regarding the sports fields, DPA supports the proposals made but suggests further improvements. These include asking for an accessible pathway to be created around the perimeter for all pedestrians and spectators, including disabled people. They also recommend placing seating of various heights around the sports fields and ensuring significant shading in spectator areas for cover in all types of weather. DPA asks for at least one accessible picnic table and a wheelchair user height friendly drinking fountain. Crucially, they ask that the fitness circuit is made accessible for everyone, requiring the installation of accessible equipment.

DPA asks that the toilet block is upgraded to include an accessible railed toilet and wet floor shower facilities, built to universal design standards. This will enable all sports fields users/spectators, including disabled people, to use fully accessible showering and toileting facilities. If new trees are planted, DPA recommends choosing species that provide good shade and managing roots to prevent protrusion onto footpaths. For Lake Kate Sheppard, DPA recommends that all roadways are replaced with accessible pathways with compacted gravel surfacing, usable by everyone. DPA also asks that the proposed lookout and all play areas in this section have some accessible play equipment available that all children can use, including disabled tamariki/children.

 

Key Recommendation/Finding: DPA asks that the toilet block is upgraded to include an accessible railed toilet and wet floor shower facilities, built to universal design standards.

 

Supporting Statement 1:

This will enable all sports fields users/spectators to use fully accessible showering and toileting facilities, including disabled people.

 

Supporting Statement 2:

Facilities built to universal design standards are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

 
 

 

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DPA submission 2506 Enhancing Lake Sheppard and Bower Park Project (DOCX)

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