It's going to be a little bit easier for people with mobility issues to enjoy using the Town of Essex pool inside the Essex Recreation Centre.
The town has installed two new accessible pool lifts to provide access to the pool and hot tub at the centre at 242 Talbot Street North.
Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy says they received $37,000 through the Ontario government's Enhancing Access to Spaces for Everyone grant to pay for the lifts.
"It's a great opportunity to showcase our centre again, to welcome people that have mobility challenges to new lifts, and to allow everybody in our community and beyond to get back in the water," she says.
Bondy says the previous lift wasn't great.
"They are new, they're modern, they are safe. They're not going to break down; they're not going to have any issues," she says. "We want the entire community to know that we have them here, and it was a big part of what we were working on with the provincial government to make all of our facilities accessible."
"Even though it may be a small demand, it's a really important part of an inclusive community. If there is somebody in your family with an accessibility challenge, we want the whole entire family to be able to come and not leave anybody out. So, it's part of the stuff that we're working on and building that sense of community and inclusivity," she says.
An accessible pool lift is a mechanical device designed to safely transfer individuals with limited mobility into and out of a swimming pool or spa and can operate with a handheld device.