Make Way Day brings the spirit of the Olympics to Portlaoise

THE spirit of the Olympics came to Laois on a bright autumn morning, when an energetic and determined group gathered for Make Way Day.

The annual event that brings the disability and wider communities together, to highlight the needs of people with disabilities in public spaces, is usually held on busy streets filled with obstacles.

This year, the event moved to the People’s Park in Portlaoise on Friday 27 September, to highlight the challenges faced by people with disabilities in public amenity and recreational spaces. With the theme of ‘The Spirit of the Olympics in Laois’, the day embraced the Olympic values of inclusivity, solidarity and fair play by highlighting the need for accessible public spaces for everyone.

Laois Sports Partnership disability officer Catriona Slattery cycled to the event on a new accessibility bicycle, borrowed from Portarlington Leisure Centre, and there was great fun as people cycled in style around the park throughout the morning.

Coordinated by Healthy Laois, Laois County Council and supported by Laois Public Participation Network (PPN), the event examined the park’s accessibility with participants that included members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA), National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), National Learning Network (NLN) and RehabCare Laois Volunteers, together with a mixed group of students from Portlaoise College.

The large turnout was divided into five working groups that assessed amenities through the lens of different abilities, working together to identify what works well and what improvements could be made.

Dan Bergin of Laois PPN led the students on an accessibility walk, encouraging them to assess the environment from the perspective of people with mobility, visual and hearing impairments.

Healthy Laois coordinator Emma O’ConnorI asked the students to split into groups and imagine navigating the park with different impairments such as vision loss, mobility challenges or hearing difficulties and found that their engagement was excellent. 

Portlaoise College teacher Adele Wilson shared the students’ positive experience and said: “The students really enjoyed the day and found it very beneficial. It was an impactful learning opportunity, and they would love to be involved in future community events.” 

The day was not only a learning experience but also a tribute to the spirit of the Olympics, aiming to build a society where all individuals, regardless of ability, can enjoy public spaces equally. Garda Ronan Maher was on hand to guide a group of mixed abilities through the park, while Laois County Council’s executive parks and landscape officer Michael Buckley engaged directly with park users alongside his colleague Ann Marie Maher, sports and leisure officer. 

Also there were Cllr Willie Aird and the council’s climate action coordinator Suzanne Dempsey and community climate action officer Lisa Doyle Laois County Council. Special thanks went to Treacy Percy from Vision Ireland and Sylvia Rouget from the IWA, who provided valuable and constructive feedback.

*See more photos in next week's edition