A brand new fully accessible boat house that can be used by disabled children and young people is to be built at Ghyll Head Outdoor Education Centre, in Windermere.

The new boathouse is being delivered courtesy of contractors who are part of Manchester City Council's Corporate Services Construction Framework Partnership and their supply chain who are building it for the benefit of centre users as a community project.

It will link to the existing boathouse already located at the centre, but will for the first time, enable young disabled people their own direct access to the lakeside and to activities on the water.

Ghyll Head Outdoor Education Centre is owned by Manchester City Council and has been in operation for over 40 years, providing high quality education to schools, youth groups and Manchester residents since 1967.

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It is set in a 17 acre site on the edge of Lake Windermere and includes a large house built in the late 1800s with accommodation over two floors for 40 young people, and an extended and redeveloped bungalow to provide accessible accommodation for 13 young people and staff.

The existing boathouse at the centre is within walking distance of the main accommodation and leads directly onto the lake.

It is however currently inaccessible to mobility impaired people as the path leading to the boathouse is steep and ends with a number of steps which are three metres higher than the water level. This makes access to the boathouse very difficult for disabled people who can only do so at present with help.

The proposed new two storey boathouse will be fully accessible with a lift between floors, accessible toilets and a changing area. It will include a classroom and a lake viewing area as well as an outside deck and floating jetty.

The plans for the new boathouse have been seen and given the thumbs up by pupils from Lancasterian School in West Didsbury who are looking forward to being able to go to the centre to try out the new boathouse when it is ready.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Executive Member Children's Services, Manchester City Council, said: "Ghyll Head has been well used by thousands of Manchester school children over the last 40 years, and the new boathouse is going to make a world of difference to the many young people with disabilities who use the centre."

(CD/GK)