RE: "Information missing in rail museum access criticism", letter, March 21.
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There certainly was missing accurate information.
The letter states that I, Bob Triming, was informed by the director of cultural and community services that the reason for the absence of a navigable sealed footpath for those with disability was because it was not appropriate to lay the footpath in time for the opening because of trucks still entering the site. Totally wrong.
The only thing the director told me was that it would be built in the near future.
Fact: the false news about the trucks accessing across this part of the footpath was actually created by Bathurst Regional Access Committee (BRAC) themselves in their February minutes of their meeting.
As soon as I read this, I wrote to BRAC suggesting I have a private chat with their executive about this and other matters; I received zero response.
Trucks did not enter the museum site across this particular section of footpath as the large new car park for the railway station was only ever closed on one day for the delivery of the rail carriage and that was on September 4 - five months earlier.
Construction trucks entered the site directly in front of the museum building and, ironically, this area had a sealed footpath for several weeks before the museum opened.
For BRAC to state how the museum is wonderful is rather disturbing.
Before BRAC's letter to the editor was written, I asked them why they were not addressing the fact that the only way to access the large car park commonly used by most attendees to the museum was by stairs. I received no reply.
If these disability advocates cannot understand why stairs that lead to a deep, loose gravel footpath and then a rollback gutter is not suitable for people with disability or those with prams, heaven help us.
Council has now started work on the accessible sealed footpath, so thank you. Credit where credit is due.
But those of us with disability should have had access from day one.
I ask that while this museum and most other council-owned buildings are closed because of COVID-19, the council staff be employed putting correct access to the rail museum in replacing these new stairs; the library and National Motor Racing Museum have their accessible toilets rebuilt to correct standards (currently not accessible by most in a wheelchair); and the senior citizens' building, that has just had an accessible entrance put into place, gets an accessible toilet installed.