SEVERAL footpaths have been referred to Orange City Council for repair due to difficulties for people with disabilities.
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The council’s ageing and access committee identified the western side of Anson Street between Byng and March streets, the eastern side of Anson Street between Summer and Kite streets and the northern side of Dalton Street between Spring and McLachlan streets as needing levelling work.
Members also identified a section of Lords Place between Kite and Moulder streets for levelling, as well as lowering the height of the kerb.
Usually, if it’s a problem for someone with a vision impairment, it’s also a problem for a mobility impairment.
- Orange City COuncil's council’s ageing and access committee member Joanne McRae
Committee member and councillor Joanne McRae said the discussion followed a briefing on how footpath work was reported, assessed and prioritised, with the items added to the system.
“We don’t necessarily notice, but they have a firsthand knowledge of the problems navigating the city,” she said.
“Usually, if it’s a problem for someone with a vision impairment, it’s also a problem for a mobility impairment.”
MAP: The sites of the proposed work …
Cr McRae said another challenge was older housing estates where footpaths were not built at the time of the subdivision – some, including Paterson Gardens, were in cul-de-sacs and only served a small number of residents – but the council needed feedback on larger subdivisions on whether footpaths served their needs.
The committee added its desire to see footpaths built on Anson Street between Phillip Street and Matthews Avenue to serve Bletchington Public School students, as well as Franklin Road between Lords Place and Anson Street.
“A lot of them will connect to a recreational space, but not necessarily provide a traffic route to get into town,” she said.
“That’s where I would encourage people to submit requests, that’s how we can track where people do walk.”
Cr McRae encouraged residents to use the Report It section on the council’s website for new paths and repairs, even if footpath cracks had already been marked in yellow, to move their priorities higher on the list.
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