The park, which was created in cooperation with the Municipality of Girne, Denkay Başel Social Development Foundation and the Başel Family, on Doctor Salih Miroğlu Caddesi Gönen Sokak, covers a total area of 3,500 square meters.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Denkay Başel Social Development Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Barış Başel said that with the foundation named after Denkay Başel, who devoted his life to Special Education Teaching, to contribute to social transformation based on equal social justice, to the emergence of a new society model, to the raising of healthy individuals, He stated that they operate in order to carry out protective and preventive works with the main objective of developing the protection of all kinds of living and children’s rights and preventing violations of rights.
The park was built to keep alive the memory of Denkay Başel, one of the former directors of Girne Special Education Center, who devoted his life to Special Education Teaching. There are toilets suitable for disabled people, a hot spot area for young people, nature-friendly wooden children’s playgrounds, game elements that develop creativity, a treehouse, a mini survivor track, wooden bridges, and climbing units. The park was designed as a green area suitable for the use of the disabled and citizens of all age groups.
Stating that Denkay Başel Social Development Foundation has a community center in Nicosia that serves different disadvantaged groups of the society, Barış Başel stated that anyone who wants to take part in these activities voluntarily can apply to them.
Barış Başel thanked everyone who contributed to the realisation of the space, which was designed as a barrier-free park accessible to everyone, in line with the services of their father, Denkay Başel, who dedicated his life to the education and development of individuals with special needs.
Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü stated that the name of Denkay Başel, one of the teachers and school principals of Girne Special Education Center, who devoted himself to the education and development of individuals with special needs, will be kept alive with the project designed as a barrier-free park with the cooperation of the municipality and foundation, and the foundation and Başel who contributed to the park’s life and thanked his family.
Noting that there is a need for such a green area in the Salih Miroğlu Street area, where there is a commercial axis and where commercial areas and residences are intertwined, Güngördü said that in the 3,500 square meter area, there is playground equipment suitable for the access of disabled individuals and children, and which will contribute to the physical and mental development of children. He noted that the project, in which high internet infrastructure is offered, is an area that represents the vision of the foundation.
Expressing that they took important decisions to ensure accessibility in the city after taking office in 2014, Güngördü reminded that they took the decision that all kinds of structures to be organised in the public space would be accessible and put them into practice.
Expressing that they made an important step in the city, although not at the desired level, with their work on accessibility, Güngördü said that the Municipality of Girne took the lead in this issue in the country.
Reminding that Girne Municipality is the Chairman of the Union’s Tourism and Culture Commission under the roof of MEWA Middle East and West Asian Cities Association, of which 280 cities are members, Güngördü reminded that they organised an accessible tourism workshop with international participation on 21-22 October in this context.
Expressing that the booklet consisting of workshop reports will be published soon, Güngördü said that this booklet will be a guide of 280 cities in terms of accessible tourism.
After the speeches, the park was opened.
Source (Turkish): Girne Municipality
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