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It Is An Ability Action PlanA sausage sizzle, jumping castle and loads of smiles were on show when Bass Coast Specialist School hosted the launch of Council’s Disability Action Plan 2011 – 2015 on Tuesday, 27 March. By Bass Coast - 30th March 2012 - Back to News Students, parents and teachers, joined Council officers and Access and Inclusion Advisory committee members to celebrate the completion and launch of the new plan.
Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Veronica Dowman told guests the plan aims to make Bass Coast more accessible for people with disability.
"It is fitting that we launch this plan at the Specialist School, as we hope that you will benefit most from improvements to access across our Shire. The plan was developed in consultation with Council’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee and through interviews with people with disability, carers and workers. It outlines a number of objectives for Council to work on to achieve greater access across Bass Coast for our residents and visitors who have a disability."
In launching the plan, Cr Dowman said there was further work to be done.
"We continue to make progress in maximising the quality of life for those in our community with disability. The Beach Fun day held last year and the two beach wheelchairs available for the community to hire are examples of this. We are also working on a project to continue to improve beach access in Bass Coast."
Cr Dowman wrapped up the formal proceedings by presenting Sue Campbell, Principal of the School, with a lemon tree for the student garden.
Sue said the launch of the plan was an important milestone.
"We think of this as an Ability Action Plan, because it is about what we all can do! It is wonderful to have the launch here at our School, to celebrate everything that our students and community achieve."
Sue said the lemon tree was a welcome addition to the garden, which relied heavily on donations.
"Our students are keen gardeners and cooks and had commented last week that it would be good to make pancakes and have their own lemons for them!"
After the speeches, students from the school gave Cr Dowman a tour of the garden, which they built themselves. The garden includes the Vundu sculpture from the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Vundu was one of the 72 sculptures that graced the Yarra River and is the native fish of Tanzania, Bass Coast’s adopted nation during the Commonwealth Games. The Melbourne City Council gifted Vundu to Bass Coast Shire Council in late 2006.
Copies of the Disability Action Plan are available from Council’s website or through the Community Strengthening team on 1300 BCOAST (226 278).
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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