Howmans Gap Alpine Accessible Accommodation Centre gets official opening

The 36-bed Howmans Gap Alpine Accessible Accommodation Centre, sited at the entry to the Falls Creek Resort, has received its official opening.

The first of its kind facility located above the snowline in Australia, the $3.7 million Centre is underpinned by best practise in accessible design.

The new building, owned and largely funded by the Victorian Government, is managed by YMCA Victoria on behalf of Disabled Wintersports Australia (DWA), a relationship that has existed at Howmans Gap for more than a decade.

DWA Chief Executive Rick Coate said for 40 years the largely volunteer-run organisation had enabled disabled skiers to take on the slopes at five resorts across the country.

Coate told local newspaper The Border Mail, “it’s quite moving and emotional, hearing their stories.

“It gives them a really incredible amount of confidence, a sense of inclusion and a sense of achievement.”

That inclusiveness will grow with the new facility, which brings the total number of beds available at Howmans Gap to 210.

Coate added “we always had some limited facilities at Howmans - rooms have been upgraded to meet requirements - but what this will do is enable year-round access to the alpine environment.

“Each of the (new) rooms are designed so we can change the room design and still maintain accessibility.”

DWA consulted with its members on the design of the new centre and engaged consultants Architecture and Access for advice.

The Centre includes additional heating and insulation to assist visitors who have difficulty regulating their body temperature, and has a 30 bushfire attack level rating, double the standard.

DWA is also looking to the future, with participation targeted to grow by 100 people in the next two years.

National membership has grown from 800 in 2013 to 1400 this year, and Coate said bookings had already increased with news of the Howmans Gap centre opening.

Coate concluded “it’s a growing space - Hotham are also very supportive of disabled access and they have just recently equipped their buses to be wheelchair-accessible.

“There is a building being constructed there and that will include some disabled-access apartments.”

Images: The Howmans Gap Alpine Accessible Accommodation Centre.

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