The Manitoba government continues to make investments and improvements to enhance the visitor experience in provincial parks by increasing the number of mobility mats at several popular park beaches.
“Our provincial parks are designed for all Manitobans and we continue to make investments to improve accessibility,” said Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton. “We want all park visitors to be able to enjoy the great outdoors and mobility mats make it easier for people in wheelchairs, those who are using mobility aids and parents with strollers to access the beach.”
The province will invest over $87,000 this year and has expanded the number of beaches that will have improved access to the water with mobility mats. Often described as mobi-mats, the non-slip mats were first introduced in Manitoba at Birds Hill and St. Malo provincial parks.
“Addressing accessibility barriers and letting more people visit our wonderful beaches through the expansion of mobility mats is keeping with our government’s commitment to having all Manitobans, regardless of their abilities, be able to fully participate in society and be treated with dignity and respect,” said Families Minister Rochelle Squires.
This year, two additional mobi-mats have been added at Birds Hill beach and a number of mobi-mats will be installed at beaches in Bakers Narrows Provincial Park, Big Whiteshell in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Hecla Provincial Park, and Wellman Lake in Duck Mountain Provincial Park.
A mobi-mat at Crescent Beach in Whiteshell Provinical Park will be installed in the future as part of repairs to the seawall, which was damaged by spring flooding, Wharton noted.
In 2021, mobi-mats were added in a number of locations including: Pioneer Bay Beach in Clearwater Lake Provincial Park, Falcon Lake Beach in Whiteshell Provincial Park, West Beach in Grand Beach Provincial Park and Kiche Manitou Beach in Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Lundar Beach Provincial Park, Winnipeg Beach Provincial Park , and Rainbow Beach Provincial Park.
