Library praised for access action

A Calista great-grandmother has said she was delighted after the City of Kwinana announced it would provide a wheelchair for those visiting the new Darius Wells Library.

Gwen Burnett told the Telegraph last month she was “scared to death” of visiting the Kwinana library because of difficult access for the elderly.

The 91-year-old said it was “just wonderful” the City had listened to the concerns of its elderly residents and brought in the wheelchair.

“It was a shame because it is such a nice library but getting from the car into the building was very difficult,” she said.

“You feel pushed to one side and that the council isn’t listening, but I’m so glad they are trying to do what’s best (by providing the wheelchair).

“It makes a change for the better 100 per cent — and the coffee is good too.”

Last month, Mrs Burnett said she had opted to use the City’s mobile library service instead of the new Darius Wells Library and Resource Centre because she was worried she might fall as she tried to manoeuvre a difficult sloping entrance.

“All of my visitors said they agreed with what I had said and many of them got on the phone to the council to tell them,” she said.

Mrs Burnett’s daughter, Jill Booth, said access issues “chipped away” at the independence of her mother and other elderly and infirm people in the city.

“I will be taking mum down to the library about once a fortnight now,” she said.

“The council has come up trumps. If I could see Mayor Carol Adams right now, I would tell her so.”

The library opened four weeks ago.