A Mobi-Mat at Neck Point is one of three new additions to beaches in Nanaimo, designed to make the waterfront more accessible for all. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

water access

New beach accessibility mats installed at three new parks across Nanaimo

Jun 23, 2023 | 3:32 PM

NANAIMO — Following a successful rollout last year, the City is expanding accessibility to area beaches.

Three new Mobi-Mats were recently purchased and installed at Neck Point Park, Loudon Park and Colliery Dam to go with an existing one at Departure Bay Beach.

The mats are made primarily out of recycled plastics and are processed to create a mesh fabric which provides a non-slip surface over beaches and rocks and, in turn, opens up Nanaimo’s beaches to more users.

“One of the things I love to hear is about all the different types of uses people have been coming up with for the mats, so they are accessible for wheelchair users but also people with strollers and then people have been using them as well to wheel their kayaks down to the water,” Charlotte David, manager of parks, told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The mat at Neck Point Park is located at Finn Beach, near the main parking lot, while the Loudon Park installation is designed to partner with the accessible fishing dock.

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To date the City of Nanaimo has spent around $35,000 on the mats, according to Davis, who added a $5,000 contribution was also made from the Colliery Dam Park Preservation Society for one on the south side of Lower Colliery Dam.

Colliery Dam Park Preservation Society contributed $5,000 towards purchase and installation of a Mobi-Mat at the Lower Colliery Dam beach. (City of Nanaimo)

Future locations are under consideration, however the City will wait to see what feedback comes from this expansion of the program.

“It’s one of the things people care about in this community, access to water is really, really key so we do want to hear from people about which locations are important to them.”

A big consideration of where the mats go and how they’re installed is around the terrain.

“At Departure Bay beach, they’re on cobbles about fist size, so they are diverse and we can do different things with them at different locations,” Davis added. “One of the key considerations is about grade, we want to make sure people can get down but also get up it comfortably too.”

Also new this year is a landing area near the mat at Departure Bay Beach, designed for picnics.

A similar device was installed along the Qualicum Beach waterfront in July 2021, while Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville has also seen similar mats used.

A new landing area is partnering the return of an accessibility mat along Departure Bay beach, near the Kin Hut. (City of Nanaimo)

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