PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It’s officially summer, which means many are heading out to the Oregon Coast — and for those who struggle to make the sandy walk to the ocean, Lincoln City now has a potential solution.
The coastal town’s brand new Mobi-Mats are making its beaches more accessible to everyone.
Kevin Mattias, the ADA coordinator for Lincoln City, demonstrates how hard it is to use a scooter on the soft sand. But, he shows these new mats make a huge difference.
“You get people who love to walk on the beach, but getting to the hard sand can be challenging for a lot of people,” Mattias said. “So we’re making that a shorter trek.”
Lincoln City recently rolled out the 6-and-a-half-foot wide Mobi-Mats at three of their beach access points. The mats were placed out at the access points on Memorial Day and will stay there through Labor Day.
This has been a team effort between Explore Lincoln City and the Lincoln City Parks and Recreation Department.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Jeanne Sprague of LCPR explained. “A lot of great products like the Mobi-Mats have hit the market, so it’s been a conversation we’ve been having for quite some time.”
They’ve also expanded their beach wheelchair program, with two now available to reserve and a third in the works.
The goal is to get people next to the ocean — no matter what issue they’re dealing with.
“Making it less of a challenge getting them on the beach, and you know getting there and standing and looking over it, that’s fine, that’s nice,” Mattias said. “But to get closer and feel the sand in your shoes, and then closer to the water where you see waves and can actually touch them… [that] makes it a lot better experience, I think.”
Those interested in reserving a beach wheelchair or seeing where those Mobi-Mats are located, can visit this website.