Nairn beachfront could be transformed in accessibility drive
The toilet block at Nairn Links could be transformed to cater for severely disabled people and provide a community hub as part of plans to make the town a more inclusive place.
Plans are under way to replace the existing facilities with a new Changing Places facility, part of a nationwide campaign to offer extra space and equipment for people with disabilities, allowing them to use the toilets safely and comfortably.
Although Nairn Access Panel has long been advocating for the addition of Changing Places facilities in Nairn the campaign has found new traction with the support of the Nairn Beach Wheelchairs, which welcomed its first service users in March.
Its vision would see the building not only becoming a more accessible toilet space, but also a new accessibility hub for the wider community and a more central home for the beach wheelchairs, with the addition of outdoor showers and other facilities to cater for beach goers, swimmers and kayakers.
Nairn beach retains Scottish Beach Award
Gavin Cobb, NBW vice chairman and a paediatrician working with children with disabilities, said: “ I see loads of children who've got real high levels of need, and for a lot of them the options that they've got are extremely limited for being able to do things like access a beach, but also if they want to have a gathering of friends and family which is not within their home, it's really difficult.
“A lot of these children are just confined within their own home environment, because they're not able to go out to community places because they don't have access to a toilet. Why should that be the case?
“Why should people have to be confined to certain areas and not be able to go out and explore their community more, and be seen and be visible and be integrated in their society?
“What we'd really want is to have a community accessible hub, which is able to cater for people throughout the community, especially on days when there is lots of activities planned down at the Links, with events such as Wheels of Nairn or Games Day.
“However, one of the other things that we've just been very aware of, is that the toilets down at the Links are really substandard, and obviously with setting up the NBW, we've been in contact with various other people around the community and in particular Seamus McArdle from the Nairn Access Panel, who — along with others — told us how inaccessible even the accessible toilets are.
“Some of the stories about trying to access and use those toilets are just pretty horrible — people having to be changed on the toilet floors, not actually being able to get a wheelchair into the toilets themselves….they're just not big enough to actually manipulate or manoeuvre a wheelchair around.”
He said that the current location of the NBW hub by the High Life Highland swimming pool is also a bit hidden away and relatively distant from the beach itself.
Bringing the hub to the Links would make the service more visible and accessible, he said.
“We could make it something absolutely fantastic for the community,” he said.
“Nairn is such a great tourist location, but it doesn't have the facilities for everyone. It's a good location for people of who don't have significant disabilities, but for other people it's not so good.
The proposal states: “By enhancing the planned facilities now, we can position Nairn as a leading destination for inclusive tourism in the Highlands. We can show that Highland beaches are for everyone—and that starts by setting the gold standard here.”
Chairman of Nairn Access Panel, Séamus McArdle, said: “The panel is very happy to be working with our friends at Nairn Beach Wheelchairs to create an accessible hub at the Links, centred around an all inclusive facility, including a Changing Places toilet, protecting the dignity of those disabled people who are reliant on assistance from their partners, family or carers to help them live their life to the full.”
Now the group behind the project is hoping to find financial support for the project both from Highland Council as well as corporate and community support.
Nairn and Cawdor Councillor Barbara Jarvie also welcomed the initiative, saying: “The Links loos are definitely needing revamped and made much more welcoming and practical to serve all our locals and tourists.
“I am most grateful for the Nairn Access Panel and Beach Wheelchairs to be working with our Common Good officer Ali Garrow and ward manager Mark Greig on this project.
“Their expertise on how to meet the needs for families who have someone with a disability is crucial for this type of ‘getting it right’, permanent investment and collaboration on Nairn Common Good.”
