The project “Facilitating access to watertourism activities” (Riverways II) has conducted the first environmental accessibility surveys at Lake Zāģezers in Valka, at Lake Burtnieku in the Valmiera region, at Lake Lielezers in Limbaži, and Lake Lubāns in the Madona region.
One of the project’s tasks is to identify water tourism sites and services in Vidzeme and provide proposals for improving environmental accessibility and infrastructure solutions.
The Vidzeme planning region team of the project “Riverways II” and Jurģis Briedis, an environmental accessibility specialist from the association of people with disabilities and their friends “Apeirons”, surveyed the lakes and met with representatives of local governments. Jurģis Briedis provided consultations on the construction of the planned infrastructure to make these lakes more accessible to everyone, improving boating and swimming opportunities for seniors, families with small children, people with disabilities, and other social groups.
The representative of “Apeirons” placed great emphasis on the accessibility of the surrounding environment. This includes a comprehensive view of the specific place:
- the parking spaces intended for people with disabilities must be specified and marked;
- the amenities should be adapted accordingly;
- there should be an opportunity not only to access the water but also to change clothes after swimming;
- people with functional limitations should also have the opportunity to enjoy the other amenities the place offers, such as entering the tourist information center, the adjacent cafe, or exploring the nearby park.
During the project, a new, accessible water tourism infrastructure will be created at four lakes in Vidzeme. Design and construction will be carried out by the municipalities of the counties where the lakes are located.
It is planned to build a pontoon footbridge for swimmers and boaters at Zāģezers in Valka. During the survey, the expert found that the signs at the parking lot, located by the lake and intended for people with disabilities, are incorrectly placed. A toilet accessible to everyone and a comfortable changing cabin will also need to be installed there. It will be larger and feature a bench inside, making it convenient for not only people with functional limitations but also seniors and parents with small children.
During the survey, representatives from the municipality and specialists from “Apeirons” discussed the best location for the pontoon footbridge to be built. This decision must be made thoughtfully and responsibly, as various aspects must be weighed. For example, a river flows into the lake, which forms a stream along the shore. There is a depression in the lake bed in that place. It is also necessary to consider making the new footbridge both convenient and easily accessible from the shore while ensuring it remains safe. It is planned that both swimmers and boaters will use the area, so the selected location must be suitable for both activities.
A new pontoon footbridge and boat launch will also be built at Lake Burtnieks in Valmiera Municipality. One of the most critical issues that needs to be addressed is the creation of a suitable ground cover from the parking lot to the footbridge. Currently, the ground is covered with small stones, rubble, and sand, which together form a loose base, which is very difficult or impossible to drive on in a wheelchair (depending on the weather conditions and how dry or wet the ground is). Appropriately marked parking lots, accessible toilets, and changing cabins will also need to be installed.
During the survey, “Apeirons” specialists, together with representatives of the Valmiera Municipality, compared the location of the pontoon footbridge marked on the plan with its appearance in nature. The environmental accessibility specialists advised the municipality’s representatives on important aspects that require special attention during the construction of the footbridge.
A multifunctional pontoon boardwalk for boating and swimming will be built at Limbaži Lielzers. There is a nature trail and a large landscaped area with benches and comfortable wooden boardwalks near Lielzers. Here, you can swim, boat, fish, watch birds, play disc golf, and engage in other activities. Appropriate signs have been installed in the parking lot; however, there is no marking on the asphalt that indicates how many spaces are reserved for cars of people with disabilities. There is also an adapted toilet right next to it; nonetheless, it will be difficult for a person in a wheelchair to access it – it still needs to be modified so that entering it is effortless. However, it is worth noting that the shortcomings above can be easily eliminated.
“Apeirons” experts, together with Jānis Remess, a representative of the Limbaži municipality agency “Lauta”, discussed which would be the most suitable place for the construction of the new boardwalk. Since Lielezers beach is covered with white, fine sand, which makes it very difficult for people with functional limitations to move around, it is essential to have the opportunity to access the water on a hard and smooth surface. Therefore, one of the boardwalks was selected, which leads across the sandy beach along the grove to the very edge of the lake.
An accessible recreation area and a pontoon footbridge for boating and swimming will be created at Lake Lubāns. Representatives from both the Madona municipality and the association that manages the territory came to meet with Jurģis Briedas, an environmental accessibility expert from “Apeirons”. The shore is quite steep in the area where the footbridge is planned to be built, so access to the water is intended to be ensured by creating a flat ramp parallel to the shore. Additionally, the water level of Lake Lubāns is highly variable. Depending on the weather conditions, the water level rises or falls rapidly, and the difference can be as much as 3 m. Therefore, a sufficiently ingenious solution must be found so that the pontoon footbridge is always connected to the land and the constructed access road, regardless of the water level in the lake at that time.
The pontoon bridge will be located near the Lubāns Wetland Information Center. Therefore, the environmental accessibility expert provided guidance on what still needs to be done to ensure that the information center building and its toilet become accessible to everyone. Here, too, another ground cover leading from the parking lot to the building will have to be considered. Jurģis Briedis also suggested ways to improve the arrangement of the recreation area near the Lubāns Wetland Information Center, ensuring everyone feels comfortable there.
We are very pleased with the interest shown by representatives of local governments and their desire to implement the improvements as effectively as possible. Mutual dialogue, consultation, listening to advice, and cooperation are essential prerequisites for achieving the desired results.
The Vidzeme Planning Region team would like to express its gratitude to “Apeirons” and the representatives of the local municipalities of Valka, Valmiera, Limbaži, and Madona for their active involvement!
The project “Facilitating access to watertourism activities” (Riverways II) is implemented with the support of the Interreg Estonia-Latvia Cooperation Programme 2021-2027.
