Overhaul and electric transport: 742 million planned for the barrier-free program in Odesa

In Odesa, more than UAH 740 million has been allocated for the "Barrier-Free Odesa" program. The funds have been allocated for accessibility for people with disabilities, renovation of bathrooms and inclusive playgrounds.

The decision was made at a meeting of the Odesa City Council.

The program aims to address the issues by ensuring unimpeded access for all citizens, including people with disabilities and people with limited mobility, to residential buildings, social, cultural and public facilities, as well as engineering and road infrastructure.

It also includes measures for social and psychological rehabilitation, health improvement, professional development of people with disabilities, creation of conditions for adaptation, and development of early intervention services to support children's health and development.

The total amount of funding for the program is UAH 741.981 million, allocated from the budget of the Odesa City Territorial Community, and the implementation period is 2023-2028. The program is aimed at ensuring barrier-free access for all groups of the population, including people with disabilities, people with limited mobility and people with life-threatening disabilities, to residential buildings, educational, healthcare, cultural, public facilities, and engineering and road infrastructure.

It also plans to repair inclusive playgrounds and reconstruct recreational areas for people with disabilities on city beaches. In addition, it plans to purchase electric vehicles to transport people with disabilities to the beaches along the Health Trail.

At the same time, in August last year, the city council was on the verge of failing the"Barrier-Free Odesa" program due to a scandal over the cost of inclusive toilets - 5.7 million hryvnias for each. It was the latter point that caused the most controversy: four automated restrooms were planned to be installed in 2025, and a total of 19 were to appear in four years.

At the time, Valeriy Bolgan, editor-in-chief of Intent, journalist Iryna Hryb, and city deputy Oleksandr Slavsky discussed the 600 million hryvnia loan, the controversy over the cost of inclusive restrooms, and the fulfillment of court requirements.

Also last year, a joint raid by patrol police and parking inspectors took place in Odesa to check whether drivers were legally occupying specially designated parking spaces for people with disabilities.

The inspection also revealed problems with the infrastructure: not all parking spaces designated as spaces for people with disabilities in the documentation are properly marked on the spot. In some locations, there are no road signs or markings on the asphalt. Because of this, drivers might not know that they are breaking the rules.

Анна Бальчінос