THE opening of a new sensory garden and recreational area at Killadeas Day Care Centre has been hailed as “a dream come true”.
Eight months after work began, the project will officially open later this month but the Fermanagh Herald has been given a sneak preview of what is now on offer to those who attend the facility at Lackaghboy Business Centre in Enniskillen.
Last summer, former President of Enniskillen Rotary Club, Ken Rainey chose this development at the centre as his main charity during his year in office. This has been followed by months of fundraising by the Rotary Club and Killadeas Day Care staff and relatives. Operated by the Western Trust, the centre provides day care for those with learning disabilities such as therapeutic rooms, multi-sensory and soft play rooms. Around 170 people who are part of eight day care programmes across Fermanagh will be able to use the new amenities including the 35 who are based at Killadeas.
The green area at the centre has been transformed to provide outdoor facilities including a recreational area with suitably designed swings for adults and other specialised outdoor leisure equipment. There is also space to provide an outdoor garden area for growing vegetables and flowers in raised beds to accommodate those who are in wheelchairs.
Centre Manager Patricia Griffith says the new facilities will be of huge benefit to service users.
“They don’t always have the opportunity to access local facilities like playparks but now we have a safe and secure environment where they can be themselves. There has been huge anticipation and excitement about the specialised facilites which have been designed so that everyone attending here can use them, regardless of how profound their disabilites are.”
Mr Rainey is delighted his fundraising efforts have surpassed his expectations with £38,000 allocated to the project to date.
“An outdoor facility such as this is like a dream come true for the service users who attend the facility and those who support them.”
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