SDCC Parks Provide a Benchmark at Barcelona Accessibility Event

Following the Special Mention Award for accessible play at the EU Access City Awards, South Dublin County Council were invited by Barcelona City Council to share our approach to accessibility and natural play at an event in the Saló de Cent, a magnificent Gothic-style chamber in Barcelona City Hall on Tuesday 3rd December.

The event, hosted by the Mayor of Barcelona, marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities and highlighted the city’s forward-thinking initiatives in accessibility and their willingness to continue learning from other cities. With over 700 playgrounds in their administrative area, Barcelona is deeply invested in improving the play experiences of disabled children, including those with Autism.

In recent years Barcelona has committed to radically redesigning their city for people and nature. Their pioneering work on superblocks, green corridors, and inclusive public spaces has offered inspiration to other local authorities including SDCC in how to balance human and environmental needs while fostering accessibility and biodiversity. The approach of South Dublin of bringing children into contact with nature through play aligns very well with their approach and they were particularly interested in the benefits of natural play to children with Autism.

It’s very motivating to draw inspiration from one another in creating urban environments that work better for everyone.

From Barcelona City Council website: 

Barcelona commemora el Dia Internacional de les Persones amb Discapacitat : Servei de Premsa

Under the theme "Building Community: Connecting Accessible Cities", Barcelona marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with events highlighting the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities.

Key Highlights:

• Ceremony at Saló de Cent: Marta Villanueva, Barcelona's Councillor for Health, Disability, and Loneliness Strategy, led the event, emphasizing the city’s commitment to universal accessibility. Villanueva noted Barcelona’s progress as one of Europe’s most accessible cities while acknowledging the work still required to ensure equality and inclusion in all aspects of daily life.
• International Best Practices: Insights from Warsaw, Dublin, and Barcelona showcased successful initiatives:
  • o Warsaw: Donata Konzyck discussed the Accessibility Academy, which helped Warsaw earn the Access City Award 2020.
  • o Dublin: Laurence Colleran stressed that accessibility must extend beyond physical accommodations to address the needs of individuals with autism and other disabilities.
  • o Barcelona: Representatives from TMB (Barcelona's public transport) and Amputats Sant Jordi highlighted ongoing efforts to implement accessibility codes across the city’s transport network.

This celebration underscores Barcelona's ongoing commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable society.