Benidorm incorporates a crane in the Accessible Beaches to make bathing even easier for people with reduced mobility

Benidorm City Council, through the Department of Beaches, has for the first time incorporated a crane into the Accessible Beaches service to facilitate bathing in the sea for people with reduced mobility who use this service. Specifically, as explained by the Councilor for Beaches, Mónica Gómez, it is a crane already operational at the Accessible Beaches point of Levante, which allows the transfer of people to be carried out more comfortably and safely. They move in wheelchairs to the amphibious chairs that are used to swim, an operation that "until now required the intervention of at least two lifeguards and that can now be carried out with a single assistant and without the need for sudden movements." or difficult for the user.”

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, accompanied the mayor of Playas this morning to this point in Levante to learn in situ how this new element of mobility assistance works. "In our day we were pioneers in bringing accessibility to our beaches so that they could be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their condition or abilities, and now we continue to improve this service, also incorporating this crane in a pioneering way so that our Accessible Beaches are even more comfortable, more inclusive and more accessible for everyone,” said the first mayor.

Mónica Gómez indicated that the incorporation of this new element has been assumed by the concessionaire company for the comprehensive management of the beaches, RA Benidorm, and that therefore it has not had any additional cost for the City Council.
In 2000, Benidorm City Council enabled the first Accessible Beaches point in the city, a service that was expanded in subsequent years to the three that currently exist: one in Levante and two in Poniente, and which remain operational for all year. At these three points, people with physical and functional diversity are offered elements such as access ramps, walkways that connect with the access ramp to the sea, adapted changing rooms, adapted toilets, shaded spaces and windbreaks, and amphibious chairs for adults and children. , amphibious crutches of different sizes, lifeguards as support staff for bathing, buoys to delimit the bathing area and WIFI connection, recalled the Councilor for Beaches, all with the aim of “making your stay on the beaches as satisfactory as possible.”

During the past year, this service counted 16,155 users: 6,649 in the one located on Levante Beach; 7,959 in Elche Park; and 1,547 in the one located in La Cala.

Subsidy to introduce new improvements

On the other hand, the Beaches councillor advanced that, even though the Accessible Beaches of Benidorm “are fully equipped and are held up as an example of a fully accessible and inclusive service by the main disability platforms in our country, the City Council continues to explore all possible avenues for improvement.” This is why the City Council is going to request a subsidy from the Generalitat Valenciana within the line of aid launched by the Second Vice Presidency and Department of Social Services, Equality and Housing, by which subsidies to local entities are called for the 2024 financial year. and non-profit entities to improve the conditions of accessibility to the physical environment.

Specifically, as explained by the councillor, a project will be presented to improve the three accessible beach points, which includes new sections of the roll-up walkway to facilitate access to the sea, a handrail and three new amphibious chairs. , one of them XXL size. The total cost of the project to be presented to obtain the subsidy is budgeted at 12,815 euros.