Tarpon Springs Mobi-mat Ribbon Cutting

This event is hosted by Help Us Gather
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City officials, community stakeholders and disability advocates will gather on Wednesday, April 19^th at 9:30 a.m. to celebrate the installation of a new mobility mat at Sunset Beach, donated to the City of Tarpon Springs by the Forward Foundation.  Media members and the public are invited to the ribbon cutting for the new Mobi-mat:
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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
9:30 a.m.
Sunset Beach, 1800 Gulf Road, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
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According to the CDC, 1 in 7 adults in the U.S. struggles with mobility, which means for millions of Americans, getting onto a sandy beach is either incredibly difficult or simply impossible. Mobility mats are nonslip pathways that help people with mobility challenges avoid getting stuck in the soft, uneven sand, allowing them to access the beach safely and easily.
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The $6,010.00 mobility mat at Sunset Beach was donated to the City of Tarpon Springs by the Michael & Robin Lally Forward Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to supporting projects that advance human equality. Local advocates have been working to bring more mobility mats to area beaches for years, but funding has been a significant hurdle, which is why the Forward Foundation has offered to donate a Mobi-mat to any Tampa Bay-area city willing to install one.
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“Our community is excited to receive this generous donation from the Forward Foundation,” said Tarpon Springs Mayor Costa Vatikiotis. “It means that all, regardless of their physical abilities, can come enjoy the beauty of Sunset Beach.”
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The approximately 100-foot-long mobility mat is located on the northwest side of the beach. The mat is 6.5’ wide, allowing individuals with wheelchairs and powerchairs of all sizes to utilize the mat. The City of Tarpon Springs plans to move accessible parking spots to the area at the base of the Mobi-mat in the near future to increase accessibility.
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“Our vision for Tampa Bay is to have the most accessible beaches in the world,” said Robin Lally, President of the Forward Foundation. “As a result of hard work and persistence from both city officials and dedicated advocates, we are one step closer to achieving this goal.”
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A full list of beaches with mobility mats in the Tampa Bay area can be found at helpusgather.org/accessiblebeaches.

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