Newbridge Disability Access Group

Newbridge Access Group is committed to creating a fully inclusive society for people with disabilities in Newbridge and district since 1997. We aim to make Newbridge and District barrier free, raise awareness of the needs of all people with disabilities, encourage the private and public sectors to make their premises and services disability friendly, encourage national and local bodies to make the outdoor and indoor environment more accessible and share information and resources to achieve these aims

We work closely, as stakeholders, with Kildare County Council and other private and public bodies to monitor the ongoing development and improvement of the town’s infrastructure. We communicate with people with disabilities, carers, disability organisations and other community groups in identifying priority accessibility issues locally. We engage in awareness raising campaigns eg Back in 5, Make Way Day, International Day of People with Disabilities and Sports Ability days. We collaborate with other Access Groups and local public representatives in County Kildare Access Network (CKAN) to address the physical, attitudinal and communication barriers that exist within each of our towns and help create a more inclusive society within the county of Kildare.

Currently, 13% of the population of Co. Kildare or 27,768 people have at least one disability. Newbridge is also home to the head office of KARE and its surrounding schools and sheltered housing for people with learning disability. It is also home to the Cheshire Newbridge Respite Centre for people with disabilities and the Platinum Clubhouse for people with mental health difficulties. It is imperative therefore that people with disabilities and their families and organisations are consulted about all local authority plans for open spaces and outdoor recreation.

Who we are

Newbridge Access Group was formed in 1997 following a ‘Disability Stakeholder’ meeting organised by Newbridge Community Development. A small group of disabled people and advocates formed a committee who started to organise educational talks and disability awareness events which might help to make the town more accessible.

For example, when a new town council were having their first meeting, we challenged the incoming Chairperson to walk the streets blindfolded with members of the Access Group to their meeting while highlighting trip hazards and barriers. We also started meeting with architects and engineers at the planning stage of new projects eg the Riverbank Arts Centre and the Credit Union. There was a huge amount of roadwork going on in the town around the opening of the Whitewater Shopping Centre in 2006 and we worked closely with the Kildare County Council engineers to ensure footpaths and crossings were dished properly and had tactile paving. We also persuaded the Council to provide more disability parking bays in the town. We liaised with Tidy Towns committee members to ensure their beautiful flower tubs were kept in line with street furniture so as not to obstruct blind or wheelchair users and they continue to follow this best practice when arranging summer and winter displays.

It is important to note that Newbridge is home to:-

KARE Head Office and its surrounding schools and sheltered housing for people with intellectual disability.
Cheshire Newbridge Respite Centre for disabled people
Platinum Clubhouse for people with mental health issues.

It is imperative therefore that footpaths and environment around these services need to provide a seamless route for disabled people to all local amenities.

Our members are disabled people, parents, carers and advocates who volunteer their time to help us achieve our goals. Currently we have a community Garda and a local Councillor on our committee to help ensure that traffic and parking issues for disabled people are carefully monitored and infrastructure issues are prioritised. There is also representation of staff and service users from Kare. We meet monthly during school term, usually on the 3rd Thursday of the month in Newbridge Parish Centre and the meeting is open to anyone to attend or join the committee. The work of the group is progressed and supported by the members themselves and also directly by the Kildare County Council’s Access Officer. Newbridge Disability Access Group is affiliated to CKAN, (County Kildare Access Network) and work in collaboration with the other CKAN groups to address the physical, attitudinal and communication barriers that exist in each of our towns and help to create a more inclusive society within the county of Kildare. We do this through awareness raising, access audits and key projects during the year.

Newbridge Disability Access Group work with a range of agencies and organisations that can assist in making Newbridge a more accessible town. Our aim is to ensure that accessibility issues within the town are fully addressed and that all buildings, streets, open spaces, parks and public transport are universally accessible. We also aim to develop a greater sense of awareness and understanding of issues affecting disabled people in our community and to advocate for a more inclusive and disability friendly town.

We do this in a number of ways, namely

Working closely, as stakeholders, with Kildare County Council to monitor the ongoing development and improvement of the town’s infrastructure.
Working closely with disability organisations like IWA, Vision Ireland, KARE, etc in identifying priority accessibility issues locally.
Engaging in awareness raising campaigns including:
- Make Way Day and Social Inclusion Week in September
- Kildare Disability Week
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December
Providing inputs via submissions to public and state organisations on matters relevant to the work of the group. eg Plans for Newbridge Library, Draft Transport Plan, Local Area Plan, Open Space & Outdoor Recreation Strategy for Co. Kildare 2021-2031
Actively engaging with a network of local organisations, community groups eg Active Retirement, Tidy Towns, Newbridge Community Development, Family Resource Centre, as well as schools and local businesses on projects and initiatives.
Carrying out Accessibility Audits of buildings, open areas or streetscapes.

FAQ

NO!

The Curragh Plains (4,870 acres) are adjacent to Newbridge and used by a huge number of people from the town and wider county. This unique and historical location fulfils the needs of a huge number of people of all ages but will see more demanded of it with the large number of houses under construction in the area. We look forward to the findings of the Curragh redevelopment project and need to be consulted about the needs of people with disabilities. One young wheelchair user commented “I live on the edge of the curragh and although there are beautiful walks there is not nearly enough adequate footpaths for wheelchair users” Another native of the Curragh with severe sight loss would love to have a safe pathway to enjoy the open air and surroundings. Arthritis Ireland Nordic Walking Leaders who have been leading a group of people with arthritis for over a decade say that there are dangers crossing the roads safely or coming close to the pathways of thoroughbred horses. A wheelchair user from the town centre would love to travel right up to the Curragh in her powerchair but footpaths are not dished at Ballymany shopping centre and there is no safe crossing to the path approaching the Curragh. This same route would be used by visitors to the Cheshire Home. The Military cemetery and other areas of the Curragh with historical interest could be enhanced with information points and an information centre and virtual tour for all to enjoy.

The revamped Curragh racecourse is very welcome and hosted a large number of older Kildare residents at a very successful Kildare Sports Partnership Wellness Dayin 2019.

However, it is not possible for a large number of people to visit the Curragh Plains so they rely on amenities closer to the town eg The Liffey Linear Park, Lakeside park, The Green rd, Athgarvan Rd, Grange, College Park footpaths and all the approach roads .
The display of trees lining the Grange Rd is truly spectacular this Autumn! Visitors to the St Conleths cemetery are pleased to see the trees planted in the foreground but they need urgent attention as they are not supported properly.

Liffey Linear Park is a wonderful amenity which has been improving as the years go by. Some of the features we are particularly grateful for are:

Disabled parking
Picnic tables which are accessible
A variety of benches at regular intervals
Wheelchair friendly exercise equipment
Footpaths which are largely in good repair.
Handrails at the watering gates and steps.

However there is need to highlight the railings and bollards for people with vision impairment. The information points are not all accessible as some are located some distance from the path in grassland. They need to be sited close to the path edge. The slope from the watering gates to the lower park is too steep for some wheelchair users and ambulant disabled people on rollators etc. It would need to be redesigned to accommodate them. Some people with vision impairment are reluctant to visit the linear park for fear of water accidents. The entrance path to the park from the gables is unprotected at water’s edge. Until very recently lots of people parked at the Gables car park and entered safely through a gateway. Sadly, this gateway is now locked and people are expected to clamber around tree roots and rough path to access the boardway. Another entrance at Ryston has a railing making it less accessible. There is no way a wheelchair/rollator user can enter the park from this end.

Newbridge Family Resource Centre is the location for a sensory garden which is under construction. Nearby Lakeside Park needs to be redeveloped to create interesting and accessible walkways with more planting so that it can be enjoyed by all. The small lake could have a path with handrails so that it is age friendly and safe for people with vision impairments or who are unsteady. Older residents of the area could then participate in outdoor and indoor exercise activities at the resource centre.

Residents of Dara Pk, Highfield and Lakeside Park welcomed the refurbished accessible route from the estates towards the train station. However there is need for extra lighting.

The Playground and Newbridge Sports Centre is a wonderful accessible amenity and we are grateful to have been consulted at the design phase! Older adults attend activator pole exercise classes in the sports centre and it would be great if there was a safe outdoor pathway nearby with sensory garden so that they could enjoy the outdoors weather permitting. (Like the acre project in Celbridge) We look forward to seeing at least 2 more playgrounds in the town to service the needs of the newer housing estates.

The Skate Park in Newbridge is a welcome feature in the town centre but is small and some people feel it is unsuitable for younger children and children with disabilities.

Ryston and Athgarvan Pitch and Putt Clubs are very popular. Ryston caters for a large and diverse range of outdoor and indoor activities.

Our beautiful Royal and Grand canal and River Barrow walks are one of our Counties strengths. These walkways need to be promoted, invested in and made more accessible to all so that cyclists, canoeists, paddleboarders, fishing enthusiasts, walkers and athletes can enjoy the outdoors and support local businesses. These areas need to be audited to improve accessibility for all people with disabilities.
Other good outdoor areas include: Donadea forest park, Punchestown, Curragh and Naas racecourse, The Curragh and surrounding area. The National Stud. Celbridge House and surrounding walks. Liffey Linear Park Newbridge, Liffey Walk Ballymore Eustace, Pollardstown Fens, Killinthomas Woods & Moore Abbey Woods.
The Fionn MacCumhaill sculpture at Ballymany is truly spectacular and this work should be protected and strengthened.
When the Whitewater shopping centre was constructed in 2005/2006 we were consulted about accessibility. As a result, the pedestrian crossings nearby were a welcome addition with appropriate tactile paving railings etc. Tidy Towns made the crossing points more attractive with planters and hanging baskets. These footpaths and crossings need to be installed to a higher standard and they need to be properly maintained. Some tactile paving on the Cutlery Rd and intersection with Edward Street are lifting. Likewise cobbled paving lifts and becomes unstable.

Information boards at all parks and facilities with detailed map and information on accessibility, toilet facilities, changing places etc.

Newbridge needs a Changing Place toilet facility to include additional equipment such as a hoist and changing bench as well as space for carers. Regular toilet facilities have been very difficult to find in the current pandemic as many retailers were closed or have closed their facility.

More pathways along greenspaces , canal and riverside walks so that they are suitable for all including frail, elderly and disabled people and all kinds of bicycles, adult trikes, wheelchairs (manual and electric), scooters and buggies. These pathways should include tactile routes, litter and dog waste bins and be free of all kissing gates, changing them to another more accessible style of gate.

Construct more pathways with bike lanes. Ensure that the consultation phase of design includes people with disabilities and age friendly organisations among others. Draft plans using expert advice then consult with the interest groups, adjust and complete the design phase. Finally ensure that the routes are completed with proper oversight to ensure that surfaces are properly ramped and finished to include tactile routes for people with vision impairment.

Use environmentally friendly material in the construction of recreational areas.

As more people will use outdoor spaces for recreation and enjoyment, more seating, more bicycle stands, litter bins, dog waste bins and bigger space parking areas need to be provided.
Its likely that more exercise programmes will take place outdoors as happened during lockdown. There were lots of novel ideas created during lockdown eg Kildare Sports Partnership STEPtember with challenges to participate in dedicated walks along the Royal and Grand Canal, private gyms taking class outdoors, team traing on the Curragh etc.
Dedicated direction arrows on paths will need to be placed and repainted regularly.
Open spaces have now become more valued and now play such an important place in our society for everybody’s mental and physical health in the future.

More information at entrance to the Linear Park, Pollardstown Fen, Canal Walk at Milltown etc to include a map and distance to complete a full tour of the area. Distance to the exercise equipment or seating areas, information on slopes, handrails etc so that people with disabilities can decide if they wish or are able to complete it.
Information boards with distance elevation etc at intervals along popular walking routes eg Town Centre to the Green Rd via Curragh Grange or via Walshestown to the Curragh and return etc
Diversity and variety of styles of open spaces eg. Woodland walks and nature trails, children’s paths, wildlife/ meadow gardens, plain grass areas, community spaces where locals can exercise together or grow some plants and vegetables similar to the Acre project in Celbridge.
We would like a revamp of Georges St and the Courthouse/Market Square to help create a nice level outdoor area with large paving slabs, street furniture in alignment, and a market square on the old courthouse site. The art exhibits on Georges St are a hindrance to people with vision impairment and may be better located gallery style on a wall in the market sq complete with information on the art(currently there is no information on these large structures. The theme is related to retail so this would fit in to the setting. Adjacent Eyre St paving is badly in need of repair. This needs revamping.
A sensory Garden in the Linear Park.
More cycle lanes are needed throughout the town and access through surrounding housing estates.
2 dog parks.
2 more children’s accessible playgrounds. A good example is the children’s playground in Killarney town and Kilkenny Castle. KCC Access Officer and the Naas Access group visited Kilkenny city and Cashel in 2019. There we looked at their streetscape, public parks and tourist areas.
More Age-friendly seating along the canal walks and existing green space areas.
All seating should have a concrete plinth underneath and a side-section /space provided for wheelchair users.
Create a Memorial garden in the Famine Graveyard. 1000 bodies are estimated to be buried in this land and we do need to remember this by creating a tranquil garden. The theme we suggest is: “For those who are Forgetful, those who are Forgotten and those we will Never Forget”.
Use the already granted funding for the Harbour area in Naas. This area is such a gem.
De Burgh land needs to be finalised, accessed and opened to the public. This land was gifted to the people of Naas for their enjoyment.