Every citizen or resident has the right to lead a comfortable life regardless of if they are physically abled or disabled. Everyone should have equal access to public places and properties, no matter if they are physically challenged. With increasing awareness about the need of the disabled-friendly infrastructure through the annual celebration of the World Disabled Day or International Disability Day in December, both developed countries and developing ones are coming up with fully accessible public places and properties for the differently-abled. Texas, the largest US state, deserves a mention in this respect.
Texas recently opened a new water park, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, in San Antonio for the physically challenged. Among the places for people with disabilities in Texas, Morgan Inspiration Island is the world’s first water park for the differently abled. Located inside Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, the water park has completely wheelchair-accessible infrastructure, especially for the physically challenged kids.
The world’s first water park for the disabled, Morgan’s Inspiration Island in San Antonio has been designed taking into consideration the facilities and amenities for those with special needs. The park has six major attractions, including a river boat ride, water cannons, a seven-story lighthouse, five play areas, rain curtains and private cabanas among others. All of these are fully wheelchair accessible to welcome the physically challenged for fun and entertainment.
The infrastructure of Morgan’s Inspiration Island in Texas is not only wheelchair friendly but also technologically innovative. The differently-abled adults and kids on their visit to the park are provided with ergonomic wheelchairs called PneuChair, which was developed in the technology lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Powered with compressed air, not batteries, the motorized wheelchairs are waterproof and cost-efficient.
Another revolutionary technological aspect of Morgan’s Inspiration Island in San Antonio, TX is the way safety of children with disabilities, including the visually impaired, is ensured. Special children are provided with high-tech waterproof wristbands to wear on their hands so that their parents can track their whereabouts in the park.
Some of the features of the disabled-friendly water park Morgan’s Inspiration Island in Texas are conducive for visitors having sensitivity to temperature, noise and crowd. The park has the facility to change the temperature of water so that visitors who are sensitive to cold can have fun over warm water rides. There are private cabanas in quiet areas for those who feel overwhelmed with noise and amidst crowds.
It cost $17 million to build the wheelchair-accessible, disabled-friendly infrastructure of Morgan’s Inspiration Island with high-tech facilities. The world’s first park for the disabled in San Antonio is the brainchild of Gordon Hartman and his 23-year-old differently-abled daughter named Morgan. Doctors, therapists, special education teachers and experts from the disability rights community were duly consulted to design the park and make it accessible for all. That’s why the park is best described as a “park of inclusion.”
Some of the facilities in many water parks and theme parks across the United States are accessible for people with disabilities. But, Morgan’s Inspiration Island is the first fully accessible park in USA. The park is open daily. It will remain open throughout the summer. It will be open only on weekends from mid-August.
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Oh this park sounds amazing. My son Christopher would absolutely have a ball. Would like move information on this amazing park. I think this much needed park in more cities.