As satisfied as the Mayor

In 2002 Kristiansand received three prizes: Availability Prize from The Nordic Handicap Political Council, Availability Prize from The Norwegian Handicap Organization and City Environment Prize from the Minister of Environment Kristiansand bases the city development on the universal design and the functionally disable persons are as satisfied as the mayor.

"The environment city shall be good for all of us", says mayor Bjorg Wallevik who points out that what is unique about Kristiansand is that availability is included in the planning process. Availability is expensive if it has to be done afterwards but if incorporated in the planning process it makes no difference. "The politicians have discovered this", says the mayor.

Those who are dependant on wheelchairs know all about not functioning. Then we started to understand how it feels to function. We will not lose this possibility! says Astrid M. Staalesen who for 13 years has been the leader of the municipal council for the functionally disabled persons in Kristiansand. She was one of the first persons who got studded tyres on her wheelchair, and today the city is so well organized that she gets along on sidewalks all over the city.

The council policy for the functionally disabled persons has not been demanded to be perfect, but the best possible availability for all groups of the functionally disabled. For example, in the centre the attention is put to construct road intersections in such a way that the passages to the pedestrian crossings are marked by contrasting coatings both regarding colour and material quality. The pedestrian crossings are marked both with large flagstones resulting in small flagstones, and this is a warning. Then comes a granite edge and then starts the pedestrian lane. There are rubber plates on both sides of the pedestrian lane.

The oldest part of the "Markens" street where cars are not allowed, is rearmed with new surface and heat from a distant heating plant. The height is adjusted so that the wheelchairs easily can roll into the shops, which earlier had steps. In the beginning the surveying services denied this, says Astrid Staalesen. The next time they said "well" and the third time they wrote a letter saying it was "interesting". Now this is definitely their own idea, and nothing is better than that! The nice part is that there are unbelievably many wheelchair users on the streets, a noticeable increase compared to earlier times.

The harbour area is also rehabilitated and upgraded for functionally disabled persons, with an elevator for those who want to go boating. The city beach has the ramp and the wharf with firm surface. The sea front promenade is adjusted to serve the functionally disabled. Along the river Otra there are special places to go fishing and bathing for wheelchair users.

"The city and its surroundings are meant for all, disregarding capability of functioning, and the goal must be always to get better", says Mayor Bjorg Wallevik.