Dailyprompt-2884
What’s one thing that would instantly improve your city?
If I could change one thing about our town, it would be to make it more accessible for everyone.
And yes…
More parking spaces would be a very good start.
We have some big festivals and celebrations here throughout the year, and when those are happening, finding somewhere to park can become almost impossible.
Sometimes you practically have to park outside town and walk in.
That’s inconvenient for most people.
But what if you can’t walk in?
My husband uses a wheelchair, so accessibility isn’t something I only notice in theory. It’s part of our everyday life.
There need to be more disabled parking spaces, particularly close to places people actually need to reach.
And accessibility doesn’t stop when you get out of the car.
Pavements, kerbs, entrances and pathways need to be designed so that someone using a wheelchair can actually move around independently.
The same applies to parents pushing babies in prams.
A tiny step that most people barely notice can suddenly become an obstacle.
A pavement that is too narrow might mean turning around.
A badly placed pole, bin or parked car can completely block the way.
And sometimes you find a ramp…
only to discover that whoever designed it apparently thought wheelchair users were training for the Winter Olympics. 🤣♿
Accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought.
It should simply be part of how we design our towns.
I love our festivals, and I love seeing the streets filled with people, music, traditions and celebrations. ❤️
But a community celebration should be something everyone can participate in—not only those who can comfortably walk from wherever they managed to leave their car.
So if I could instantly improve our town?
More parking.
More disabled parking.
Better wheelchair and pram access.
Because making a town easier to navigate for people with disabilities, older people and parents with small children doesn’t take anything away from everyone else.
It actually makes the town better for all of us.
https://ditto.fm/silenced-but-not-broken
My new song “Silenced but not broken” Lyric video.
With love, coffee, poetry, and stardust,
— Maggie The Afterlove Voice 💫
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