Kolkata: Kolkata’s first outdoor gymnasium dedicated to persons with disabilities has been set up at Lions Safari Park in Rabindra Sarobar, creating an inclusive open-air fitness and recreation zone in the heart of the city.Spread across 13,000 sq ft, the play and exercise area has been designed to allow wheelchair users to move around freely and use all facilities independently. The park features 11 types of exercise and play equipment, each of them accessible to persons using wheelchairs. The installations include wheelchair-friendly fitness stations, a see-saw, merry-go-round, swing, balancing equipment and hand and shoulder-strengthening units. All the equipment has been custom made to meet accessibility requirements and ensure safe use by children and adults with disabilities.The layout of the zone has been planned to allow easy wheelchair movement across the exercise area. The aim is to provide persons with disabilities a public space where they can exercise, play and spend time outdoors without facing the barriers that often make conventional parks and gyms inaccessible.Safari Park president Ashok Mehta said the initiative was meant to create an inclusive recreational facility for a section of people who are often left out of public fitness infrastructure. “This is the first outdoor exercising facility of its kind in the city for persons with disabilities,” he said.Mehta said the facility also seeks to address the shortage of accessible public spaces where persons with disabilities can take part in physical activity. “Persons with disabilities should have access to open spaces as well, where they can exercise and spend time outdoors,” he said.The park is meant for both children and adults with disabilities. The authorities are particularly keen that children with disabilities and their families become aware of the facility and use it regularly. “We want children with disabilities to use the park. So, we are reaching out to institutions and NGOs, which work with the disabled and for disability rights, to make parents aware of this park. It is open from 6 am to 9.30 am and 2.30 pm to 6 pm daily,” said Mehta.The initiative is expected to benefit children and adults who need accessible recreational spaces for physical activity, therapy-linked movement and social interaction. Outdoor exercise and play equipment designed for wheelchair users can help improve mobility, strength, balance and confidence, while also offering users the opportunity to spend time in a public park environment.Lions Club also plans to develop an autism sensory park in one corner of the premises. The sensory zone will be designed to provide a range of experiences, including tactile, auditory, visual and vestibular stimulation. Such experiences are considered important for sensory development, especially among children with autism and other developmental needs.Mehta said the proposed sensory park would also be developed with expert guidance to ensure accessibility and suitability. “We have partnered with spastics and autism societies to make the zone fully accessible,” he added.With the opening of the outdoor gymnasium, Lions Safari Park has added a dedicated accessible fitness and recreation facility to Rabindra Sarobar, offering persons with disabilities a rare public space designed around their needs.
