Henley Beach Rotary Club raising funds to renovate the Semaphore carousel to make it accessible for people with disabilities

HENLEY Beach Rotary Club is raising funds to renovate the carousel at Semaphore to make it accessible for people with disabilities.

Lisa Schrapel (Marie Scali- SCOSA manager 0416973811) rides the Semaphore Beach Carousel, as past of a SCOSA day out. Henley Beach Rotary Club is fundraising to renovate the carousel at Semaphore to make it more accessible for kids with disabilities. picture: Bianca De Marchi

SEMAPHORE’s historic carousel may soon be getting a refit to make it more accessible for people with disabilities.

Henley Beach Rotary Club, which manages the carousel, is trying to raise funds to pay for the project.

Rotary club president and carousel manager Anthony Masson said the club wanted to raise funds so it could accommodate more people, including those with disabilities.

He said in 2015 the owners covered the cost to remove four horses so wheelchairs could be loaded on to the carousel and fixed in place.

“Children in wheelchairs could only watch as their family and friends were able to ride,” Mr Masson said.

“We hope to soon be installing an annex at the rear of the carousel to enable ... better access by wheelchair operators.”

Mr Masson said he would also like to install air conditioning and a new safety fence on the carousel because its current one was on loan.

He said it was difficult to put a figure on the amount they were hoping to raise.

“The more we get, the more we can do, so we can accommodate people not just in wheelchairs but with all sorts of disabilities,” he said.

Scosa manager Danielle Whitaker said making the carousel more accessible would enable better social inclusion.

Scosa participant Lisa Schrapel said she always enjoys riding on the carousel.

“It makes me feel happy,” she said.