Accessibility upgrades make a splash at Aquamotion

The family and disability change room in the program pool area has been upgraded and now includes lower mirrors, a washbasin with lever tap, contrasting toilet seat colours, grab rails, braille signage and an emergency alarm to cater for people in wheelchairs or those who use walking frames, as well as people with sensory loss or arthritis.

An extra toilet and shower in both the male and female change rooms has also been installed.

On the main pool deck, a new block of family change rooms has three change spaces – two big areas for school swimming lessons and an accessible family change room, which is already being put to good use.

Tapping resident Jennifer Cooper and her family have been Aquamotion members for more than six years and is excited about the upgrades.

“I have been bringing all three of my sons here since they were babies,” she said.

“The swimming instructors are just phenomenal, the kids love the pools here, we also come after school. My mum goes to the gym here too – my family is here a lot!”

The upgrades were completed with $990,000 from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and $146,000 from the City.

The new change rooms support existing accessibility features at Aquamotion, including a mechanical accessibility ‘pool pod’ lift that helps wheelchair users enter the 25m pool safely.