Clevedon's tidal pool has become the first in the entire country to be made fully wheelchair accessible. The Hive at Clevedon Marine Lake launched last Wednesday (July 20), offering a brand new volunteer workspace with a changing room and toilet for people with disabilities.
The major improvements to the lake were made possible through a major grant awarded to five seafront organisations, which totalled £149,000. MARLENS, the charity that runs Clevedon Marine Lake, has used some of the £60,000 awarded to them to create an accessible changing room and toilets in a disused crazy golf office.
Hilary Jenkins-Spangler, MARLENS’ project manager, said: “We aspire for Clevedon’s Marine Lake to be a model of excellence for accessibility and inclusivity. The grant we received from North Somerset Council has enabled us to create the first fully wheelchair accessible tidal pool in the UK."
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The lake has been made fully wheelchair accessible through the installation of a lake hoist and a changing room. Both the hoist and the changing room services are free of charge, but will need to be booked in advance on their website, which is due to be made live soon.
People can use the hoist to both access deep water from the south end of the lake and access shallow water from the north end of the lake. MARLENS advises that volunteers will not be able to assist people in or out of the water and a carer will need to operate the hoist.
Ms Jenkins-Spangler continued: "We are grateful to North Somerset Council for the Great Lakes funding grant that has made this project possible. Councillor Mike Solomon (responsible for the Great Lakes grants) attended the opening and thanked the MARLENS for leading the way with the lake a hoist and making the lake fully wheelchair accessible. Weston-super-Mare is following suit."
The council’s investment in Clevedon Marine Lake is part of its £700,000 'Great Lakes' project which also involves work to revitalise Portishead Lake Grounds and the Marine Lake in Weston-super-Mare.
"The Hive is 'dedicated to Arthur Knott, Joe Norman and the MARLENS founders," Ms Jenkins-Spangler explained. "Their work on the lake refurbishment is the reason why we enjoy a beautiful thriving and inclusive lake community."
Many people from the local community attended the event and were joined by the comedy theatre group Living Spit and music from Jonah Hitchens who provided the entertainment. Ms Jenkins-Spangler said that the hoist and accessible changing room will be available through a booking system on the Clevedon Marine Lake website once "all the protocols are in place".
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