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Users invited to demonstration of new pool lift

Monday 10 December 2012, 1:54PM

By Invercargill City Council

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INVERCARGILL

Splash Palace has a new lift for people with disabilities and is inviting users and groups representing people with disabilities to a demonstration on how to use the new equipment.

Invercargill City Council’s Pools Manager, Peter Thompson said that after numerous issues with the two existing disabled lifts, that were both over 12 years old, Council decided to replace them with a modern, semi-mobile unit that can service both the main pool and the spa pool.

Mr Thompson said the cost for the unit was $16,468 (including GST and freight) and was funded through the generous support of the ILT Foundation, the Community Trust of Southland and the Invercargill City Council, which each contributed a third of the cost. The Council’s contribution came from an existing capital renewal budget.

The lift is manufactured by SR Smith, a company out of the United States which has been producing aquatic equipment for over 80 years.

“The new lift also offers several advantages over the previous units, as it provides the ability for a user to operate the lift themselves and a unique seat on the lift is specifically designed to provide the user with the greatest possible safety, comfort and ease of transfer.

“The new unit has a rated lifting capacity of 136kg and it has two control units, one attached to the lift itself and an additional hand control. The hand control is completely waterproof, and allows either the user or an attendant to control the lift operation.”

Mr Thompson said the demonstration for users with disabilities and groups is planned for Tuesday, December 18 at 11am and all interested parties are invited to attend.