Restricted Access for the New Lion Bridge at the Zoo!
The Lion Bridge (Löwenbrücke) in Tiergarten, Berlin, has recently reopened to the public after a 17-year renovation project that cost 2.6 million euros. However, the bridge remains inaccessible for wheelchair users and elderly people with rollators due to its historic construction and design.
Elisabeth Körting, a member of the health committee in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and a social assistant at a high school, has voiced her concern over the bridge's inaccessibility. She suffers from Tetraspasticity, a spastic paralysis of all four limbs, and has been waiting for 17 years to cross the Lion Bridge.
Despite the bridge's recent renovation, modern accessibility adaptations such as ramps or elevators have not been installed. This is likely due to the bridge's historic nature and the limitations imposed by heritage conservation rules. The bridge's age and preservation status make it challenging to implement modifications for full accessibility.
Cycling is also prohibited on the bridge between the New Lake and the Great Star. The paved water channels before the Lion Bridge are deep and difficult to cross without a grating, making it impossible for wheelchair users to navigate the area.
Elisabeth Körting expressed her disappointment that the planners did not consider barrier-free access during the bridge's construction or rebuilding. She believes that subsequent renovation costs could have been avoided with proper planning.
The inaccessibility of the Lion Bridge is just one example of the challenges faced by disabled and elderly residents in navigating Berlin's public spaces. Körting advocates for more barrier-free public spaces to ensure that everyone can enjoy the city's amenities.
Science and health-and-wellness intersect as concerns over the inaccessibility of the Lion Bridge in Tiergarten, Berlin, spark discussions about mental-health implications. Elisabeth Körting, a wheelchair user and social assistant, has expressed disappointment about the omission of accessibility adaptations during the bridge's renovation, suggesting that the neglect of barrier-free public spaces can negatively impact the mental health of disabled and elderly residents.
