Council wins four Inclusive Community Champion Awards

Cairns Regional Council has been recognised for providing services and community facilities that are accessible to all.

 Council won four of the 2012 Inclusive Community Champion Awards which were announced by the Spinal Injuries Association at a ceremony on Monday.  The awards were:

Best Sporting Facility 

Cairns Regional Council for the Cairns International Tennis Centre. This facility was described as an “accessible venue, featuring undercover grandstand seating for people with mobility impairment, an accessible restaurant, lift connects users to second level of the building and has accessible unisex toilets.”

Best Government Department 

Cairns Regional Council for its Accessible Cairns website. “Cairns is the first local government in Queensland to employ an Access and Equity Officer.  Ian Chill has supported Council to develop a website designed to assist locals and visitors with information about the region in order to plan activities and access services that are often difficult for people with a medical condition, disability, the aged, people with temporary injury and parents with prams and young children.”

Best Recreation/Leisure/Entertainment Precinct 

Cairns Regional Council for the Manunda Library. Described as “an accessible library, noted for its helpful staff in supporting all sections of the community to access services. It hosts facilities for people with visual impairment and frequently hosts meetings for various sections of the community who find it an easy venue due to its accessibility and services for all users.”

Best Tourism Award

Cairns Regional Council for the Esplanade Lagoon. The Lagoon is described as having “wide, accessible pathways leading to, and around the lagoon.  The lagoon has a very gentle graded entry into the pool, which allows access for people of all ages and abilities.  There are a number of facilities surrounding and connected to the pool that are accessible.”