‘Misuse and abuse’: Vandals wreck Oatmill Cinema disability lift the day after it was installed

South East residents have been left frustrated after vandals went out of their way to damage a brand new wheelchair lift just one day after its installation.

Residents have been left frustrated and scratching their heads after senseless vandals ruined a valuable brand new wheelchair lift just one day after it opened.

Mount Gambier’s State Heritage-listed Oatmill Precinct, which has been undergoing a $1 million dollar major upgrade, had been praised by disability advocates for its disability-friendly design.

Mount Gambier resident and disability advocate Tessa Deak said the senseless vandalism was making the lives of people living with disability unnecessarily harder.

“As a regional community, we’re still putting a lot of work into making our spaces accessible,” she said.

“Seeing a newly renovated area that has carefully considered accessibility and I think prioritised it a bit in their planning — to have that just ruined and taken away from us almost as soon as it was given is very frustrating and disheartening.”

Disability advocate Tessa Deak has been left frustrated after, vandals deliberately ruined an expensive wheelchair lift a day after it had been installed. Picture: Arj Ganesan

The original concept plans had a large ramp included as part of the forecourt upgrades.

However, co-owner of the Oatmill precinct Mark Balnaves said the gradient and narrowness of Percy St meant an alternative solution had to be found.

“Of all the options we looked at (a lift) was the best option to meet the needs of patrons,” he said.

Ms Deak said vandalised disability spaces were not uncommon remarking disabled toilets are often left in a state of disrepair.

“It’s quite a normal thing to see accessible toilets, just having to be closed for maintenance or for repairs because people go in and misuse and abuse them,” she said.

“Finding good accessible toilets or tools in the community is vital for our quality of life in our day-to-day goings about in the community.”

Because only a small number of “specific technicians” are qualified to service the lift Mr Balnaves said the lift, which was installed on November 22, may not be operational until late February.

“It’s really annoying,” Mr Balnaves said.

“Putting a lift in there is a very expensive solution. Especially when it gets vandalised on the first day of operations and broken.”

Artist renderings of the intial forecourt Mills Precinct upgrade. Picture: Supplied

Ms Deak was gladdened to hear changes to the forecourt design were not a matter of convenience and factored in both accessibility and inclusion.

“It’s wonderful to see that it was still carefully considered, it wasn’t an afterthought — they did end up opting for the more expensive option,” she said.

“It was just wonderful to see that the accessible option was at the entrance which makes it inclusive as well as accessible.

“Which is something that sometimes we don’t get.”