A mobility scooter challenge through Kopeopeo has helped highlight issues – and some possible resolutions – around the concerns of many disabled members of the community. The challenge was organised by People First New Zealand, the Whakatāne Disabilities Resource Centre, and the community vision project Whakatāne Ki Mua, and it saw elected members of Council join mobility scooter users on a course through Kopeopeo on Wednesday, 14 June.

Deputy Mayor Judy Turner and Councillors Andrew Iles and Nándor Tánczos navigated the streets on scooters provided by East Bay Electrical in convoy with regular mobility scooter users, and Ms Turner says the event provided a valuable lesson. "It was very revealing to ride around and experience first-hand some of the difficulties mobility scooter riders face,” she says. “With the growing number of mobility scooters in the District, Council is going to need to ensure that the challenges faced by owners are flagged on our assets register so that when things like kerb access points are due for maintenance or replacement, we make the changes needed to improve safety for disabled residents."

Rainus Baker of People First, which focuses on ensuring people with disabilities have a say in their communities, says he was pleased to see Councillors recognise the difficulties faced by people using power chairs and mobility scooters. “It was also good that so many mobility scooter drivers supported the Councillors. I hope we can now arrange for Council staff to test out scooters in The Strand,” he said.

The challenge was organised as a part of the Whakatāne Ki Mua community vision project, which is seeking public feedback on what the community would like to see in the District in the coming years, and it is to be followed up with two public workshops on disability issues (to be held at the Disability Resource Centre on 21 June from 5:30 to 7 pm, and on 22 June from 1 to 2:30 pm). Members of the public can have their say on what they want for their District at www.whakatanekimua.nz.