Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith recently announced the Walk in the Park Program, which aims to reduce the barriers to visitors to parks who are blind or vision impaired. The pilot program is the result of a partnership between Blind Sports Victoria and Parks Victoria, and a first for Australian parks.
"As part of the Walk in the Park Program, volunteers will provide guided walks and companionship so that program participants get the most out of their park experience.
By 2020, 421,600 Australians are expected to have some form of blindness or vision impairment.
Parks Victoria recently won a National Disability Award. The Victorian Government has implemented a number of initiatives to improve access for people with disability, such as all-terrain wheelchair equipment in some parks to allow visitors with a disability to access park trails and attractions that would not be possible in conventional wheelchairs.
Running from December 2011 to June 2012, the program will provide 10 group walks, led by trained volunteer guides in a variety of parks around Melbourne. For more information visit www.parks.vic.gov.au