Right: Outlook’s Donald Swinburne had a great morning on the water at the Lysterfield Sailing Club.
CASEY mayor Kevin Bradford last week launched the Lysterfield Sailing Club Sailability program for people with a disability at Lysterfield Lake Park.
Sailability is the result of a joint project between the City of Casey and Lysterfield Sailing Club to meet the demands of people with a disability wanting to sail.
Cr Bradford said the City of Casey had the largest disability population in Victoria and initiatives such as Sailability were important in ensuring everyone had an equal opportunity to access and participate in their choice of sport and recreational activity.
Sailability, run by Lysterfield Sailing Club, started with support from the City of Casey as part of Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Access for All Abilities program.
The program has brought together a number of organisations from across the region including Cardinia Shire, Leisure Link Up in the City of Greater Dandenong and Yarra Ranges Community Health Service.
Cr Bradford said: “Sailability has proven to be a very popular activity around Victoria, with a particularly large expression of interest here at Lysterfield Lake Park.
“Sailability access dinghies have been purchased with a grant from Marine Safety Victoria and enable people of all abilities and ages to enjoy a relaxing day of recreational sailing or sailing competitively for those who prefer a little more excitement,” Cr Bradford said.
Cr Bradford said that the unique concept of a Sailability access dinghy was the ease with which it steers.
A simple control stick to coordinate rudder and sail is a straightforward approach for individuals or pairs to sail within the supported environment of Lysterfield Lake.
Sailability is now a regular program for the Lysterfield Sailing Club which houses three access dinghies.
Cr Bradford acknowledged the important work of the Sailability volunteers whose dedication, commitment and passion for sailing is helping people with a disability to also participate in this invigorating recreational activity.
Those interested in getting involved in Sailability as a participant can contact Brian Girling on 9706 4344 or those who would like to volunteer can contact Julianne Ward or Julie Wallon on 5941 1535.
