News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

July 29, 2022

Manitoba Government Continues to Make Accessibility Improvements in Provincial Parks

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Mobility Mats Being Added at Several Beaches: Wharton, Squires

The Manitoba government continues to make investments and improvements to enhance the visitor experience in provincial parks by increasing the number of mobility mats at several popular park beaches, Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton and Families Minister Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for accessibility, announced today.

“Our provincial parks are designed for all Manitobans and we continue to make investments to improve accessibility,” said Wharton. “We want all park visitors to be able to enjoy the great outdoors and mobility mats make it easier for people in wheelchairs, those who are using mobility aids and parents with strollers to access the beach.”

The province will invest over $87,000 this year and has expanded the number of beaches that will have improved access to the water with mobility mats. Often described as mobi-mats, the non-slip mats were first introduced in Manitoba at Birds Hill and St. Malo provincial parks.

“Addressing accessibility barriers and letting more people visit our wonderful beaches through the expansion of mobility mats is keeping with our government’s commitment to having all Manitobans, regardless of their abilities, be able to fully participate in society and be treated with dignity and respect,” said Squires.

This year, two additional mobi-mats have been added at Birds Hill beach and a number of mobi-mats will be installed at beaches in the following parks:

  • Bakers Narrows Provincial Park,
  • Big Whiteshell in Whiteshell Provincial Park,
  • Hecla Provincial Park, and
  • Wellman Lake in Duck Mountain Provincial Park.

A mobi-mat at Crescent Beach in Whiteshell Provinical Park will be installed in the future as part of repairs to the seawall, which was damaged by spring flooding, Wharton noted.

In 2021, mobi-mats were added in a number of locations including:

  • Pioneer Bay Beach in Clearwater Lake Provincial Park,
  • Falcon Lake Beach in Whiteshell Provincial Park,
  • West Beach in Grand Beach Provincial Park and
  • Kiche Manitou Beach in Spruce Woods Provincial Park,
  • Lundar Beach Provincial Park,
  • Winnipeg Beach Provincial Park , and
  • Rainbow Beach Provincial Park.

Manitoba Parks staff look forward to welcoming guests for the upcoming Terry Fox Day long weekend. Park visitors are reminded to check and monitor www.manitobaparks.com for updates.

Information on road closures and potential detours is available at www.manitoba511.ca.

Manitobans can stay up to date with provincial parks news, activities and events by following Manitoba Parks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MBGovParks or Twitter at https://twitter.com/MBGovParks.

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