Le Foulon site "will never be accessible no matter what"

Thursday 10 January 2019

As changes are set to go ahead at Le Foulon, concerns about accessibility to the site are still at the forefront of people's minds.

The States' Champion for Disabled People Deputy Sarah Hansmann-Rouxel has said there was no way to make the site more accessible for people with disabilities, but "internal risk appetite" had meant the States forged ahead with using Le Foulon anyway.

The site, at the top of a hill, has the island's only cremator, which is inside a chapel where ceremonies take place before hand. But because of its situ, many older people, and those with movement imparting disabilities, can really struggle to reach the chapel. 

But despite this being a well known fact, the States last year decided Le Foulon was the most suitable site for the cremator, and that work should be done to it rather than moving it all together. Earlier this month planning permission was applied for work to start, which will see an extension built on the Chapel, the entrance widened, more parking provided and other tweaks.

Particularly for those with mobility issues getting up the hill at Le Foulon can be a real problem. The States could have chosen a better site for it, but decided the pros outweighed the cons. 

Even with all of this being done however, Deputy Hansmann-Rouxel said mourners will still face a whole range of problems.

"I think we can all agree that the site will never be accessible no matter what measures are put in place, but a decision was made because of time pressures and an overly long process which eventually had two specialist consultants (Architecture and Crematorium specialists) recommend a new site, but internal risk appetite and time constraints meant that they pushed forward with again plowing money into an unsuitable site," she said.

"STSB did fulfil the resolution which was incorporated as a result of the unsuccessful Sursis I laid. This required them to create a full accessibility plan (consulting with all stakeholders) and it has led to improvements like pedestrian paths, rest benches, wider access, one way system to allow drop off, but nothing will overcome the sheer steepness of the hill in climbing up to the Cremator."

Pictured: Deputy Sarah Hansmann-Rouxel is the States' Champion for Disability. 

The existing facility at Le Foulon has been the island's crematorium since 1929 - it was extended in 2002 but has since become outdated, reaching the end of its expected 'lifespan'. Now, the new extension will mirror the older part of the chapel, but allow for disabled access with a ramp, and adjustments made all round to accommodate that. Additionally there will be new parking for 20 cars with four wheel chair spaces and then two further spaces and a drop off space in the chapel's courtyard. 

The current road network will also be changed into a one way system and various pieces of assistance will be put in to the footpath up the hill to help people make the climb.

At the end of the day, however, Deputy Hansmann-Rouxel is still concerned.

"Yes there is more parking, but mourners will still have to navigate the very steep climb. Yes people can be dropped off and the driver can park their car in the new parking area, but this completely ignores the fact that the driver may have a disability.(And with an aging demographic that is going to become more and more likely) How do they get up the hill?

"Short of some kind of shuttle service or ‘tram’ system, there is nothing that will overcome this to make the site suitable and those have been ruled out because of expense."

The planning application is still pending. 

Pictured top: Deputy Sarah Hansmann-Rouxel and a file image of Le Foulon.