Two Melville Initiatives Counted As Best in WA

The City won the Local Government Category of the Count Us In Awards 2007 for its Activelink recreational program as well as the creation of the Piney Lakes Sensory Playground.

The annual awards, initiated by the Disability Services Commission and People with Disabilities (WA) Inc, were presented on International Day of People with a Disability in early December. The awards promote and recognise excellence in access and inclusion in Western Australian communities.

Mayor Russell Aubrey said the award recognised the City of Melville’s commitment to ensuring all people had access to a range of opportunities and activities in the City. “We are working to make sure our services and facilities are accessible to everyone and that people with disabilities have more opportunities to take part in programs, events and decision making,” he said.

The City established the Activelink program in 2006 with funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation to increase access to sport and recreation activities for people who have a disability, are indigenous or from a CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) background and who experience barriers to participation such as difficulties with transport, finances and finding support people.

The project involves community organisations distributing vouchers to eligible people to cover the costs of items such as entrance fees, equipment, transportation or a support worker. A large number of vouchers have so far been issued for activities such as swimming lessons, archery classes, golf, karate classes and gym membership.

Activelink was nominated for the Count Us in Awards following a letter sent to a Local Area Coordinator by Mt Pleasant resident Andrea Ghosh, who is the mother of one of the participants.

“My 15-year-old daughter Samala, who has Downs Syndrome, did not have any after-school activities or friends to ‘hang out’ with, and was on the brink of becoming an overweight couch potato,” Ms Ghosh wrote. “In an effort to improve her health and physical fitness, I accessed the City of Melville’s Activelink program. They assisted me with funding which enabled Samala to attend Teenswim twice a week and Teengym twice a week at Melville Aquatic Fitness Centre. Samala’s world has changed dramatically.  Not only does she have after-school activities four times a week but the energy and interest to participate in them.  She certainly feels included but more than that, she is part of a bigger community, which is the recreation centre itself.”

The other initiative that the City of Melville won the award for was the creation of the Piney Lakes Sensory Playground, in Winthrop. The playground, which was developed with extensive community consultation, includes special equipment and artworks that stimulate the user’s senses through a wide variety of sounds, smells, kinaesthetic and tactile sensations. It aims to facilitate meaningful exploration, play and leisure activity for children and adults of all abilities.

For more information about access and inclusion in the City of Melville, visit www.melvillecity.com.au/community/disability-access.