Ghent On Wheels: the city seen from a wheelchair

Mobility in Ghent has led to plenty of discussion these past few months. What are often overlooked are the continuing efforts of the city to make herself more accessible for wheelchair users.

The Ghent On Wheels project charts that accessibility, quite literally. The city council has worked together with the On Wheels organisation, that develops apps for wheelchair users. With the app, users can check the accessibility of shops, restaurants, parking spaces, sanitation and tourist attractions.
Through a collaboration with JCI, an organisation for young entrepreneurs, two so-called “roller routes” are offered on the app since last year. Those are thematic routes which were tested on how accessible they are, by the wheelchair users themselves.

Now the city council, On Wheels and JCI proceed with the next phase: a tourist map for visitors using a wheelchair with accessibility info on public spaces, transport and points of interest. Existing walking routes in Ghent were studied and tested. Each time the best possibilities and alternatives for people using a wheelchair were sought out.

From May 1st onwards this new map has been available at the tourists’ information centre “Visit Ghent” in the Old Fish Mine, but now you can also ask for it at the reception desk of our Astoria hotel. If you are a wheelchair user and you reserve a room with us, just send us a message and we will certainly take that into consideration when choosing a room for you.