Singapore introduces beach wheelchairs, in a major step to boost inclusion

Singapore’s beaches have mostly been inaccessible to people using wheelchairs. Well, that has changed now with the city state introducing floating beach wheelchairs!

The wheelchairs were introduced at outdoor activity centre Water-Venture (Pasir Ris) on the occasion of Inclusive Play Day, which seeks to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in social settings.

The Pasir Ris centre will have 10 beach wheelchairs on trial. These are only available for organisations who want to use them. They are not to be used by the public for now.

The beach wheelchairs are in blue, white and yellow colours and come fitted with large yellow rubber wheels which allow them to roll on sandy beaches. Two large flotation devices, which double as armrests, let the wheelchairs bob about in the water. Each wheelchair will require a caregiver to push it into the water.

About 30 disabled people had a chance to try the wheelchairs on the day it was launched.

Such wheelchairs are already in use in countries like Mexico, Spain and France.

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