Michael Briguglio, chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green party, writes (December 27) about the public garden in Qui-si-Sana and reminds readers of the Green party’s influential role in lobbying for the redevelopment of this land into an area that would be beneficial to its residents. Without doubt, the public garden and playing area are more valuable than a car park and yet another shopping centre not only for the Sliema residents but also for all residents in Malta whose taxes have contributed to this redevelopment.

AD should be praised for its constant defence of residents’ rights.

Notwithstanding the above, I believe a particular aspect of the new garden leaves much to be desired. Having an eye for accessible playing areas for children with physical disability, I have to unfortunately conclude the Qui-si-Sana park is another let-down for parents of children with physical disability.

Local authorities had already been made aware of the shortcomings of the fun park in Ta’ Qali when it opened for the public earlier in 2010, promising accessibility to people with physical disability. The fun park in Ta’ Qali, although seemingly accessible, lacked strategic access into the park itself due to high kerbs near the zebra crossing and the reserved parking for persons with disability.

The Ta’ Qali fun park also offers three types of swings, one of which is in the shape of an orange teddy bear, disguising an adapted swing for children with physical disability. The authorities were also made aware this particular swing was not in reality suitable for children with physical disability because it does not offer the adequate positioning and support necessary for such users.

Although the road is still being tarmacked I am giving the authorities the benefit of the doubt with regard to the parking facilities for people with physical disability. The playing field is even endowed with state-of-the-art fitness equipment for adults. Nonetheless, the playing field in Qui-si-Sana boasts of exactly the same swing in the shape of an orange teddy bear and no other option apart as all other leisure and fun equipment for children is not accessible.

Apart from the leisure equipment, the authorities were also made aware that the toilets at the Ta’ Qali fun park, although accessible to wheelchair users, did not offer adequate changing facilities for children with physical disability. The Qui-si-Sana park offers the same nappy-changing facilities as the park at Ta’ Qali where there is a nappy changer large enough for infants and toddlers and not the private changing facilities that children with physical disability have a right to.

The toilets for people with physical disability, although I assume conform to regulations set by the National Commission Persons with Disability, are not equipped with changing facilities and the room itself is hardly spacious enough for a wheelchair and an adult together in the room.

There is a considerable amount of supportive adapted recreation equipment and accessible toileting equipment on the market, if one knows what he is looking for. Yet, it seems to me there is not enough awareness of what children with physical disability require.

Consequently, I am led to think there is also not enough interest in accommodating this social minority, especially since their voices are rarely heard and their rights are often overlooked. I am therefore appealing to the respective authorities to address this problem and to give more importance to the rights of persons with disability, something the Green party itself constantly promotes.