Rother Valley and Thrybergh Country Park are the latest two locations to install a Changing Places toilet designed to support the needs of disabled visitors.
This completes the eight planned specialist facilities after Rotherham Council secured almost £500,000 in funding.
These purpose-built facilities are designed to support the needs of disabled visitors and individuals with complex care requirements including people living with learning disabilities, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and other conditions.
The newly installed toilet at Rother Valley Country Park is located behind the main toilet block, and at Thrybergh Country Park can be found beside the main car park.
Changing Places facilities have also been installed at Grimm & Co., Gullivers, Magna Science Adventure Park, Rotherham United’s New York Stadium and Wentworth Woodhouse, and Clifton Park Museum.
Rotherham Council's Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Neighbourhood Working, Cllr David Sheppard, said: “I am so pleased that all planned Changing Places facilities have now been installed and are open, as they will significantly improve the overall experience for disabled visitors and their carers when visiting the locations.
“It is amazing that the new facilities provide more essential equipment and more space compared to standard accessible toilets, allowing two carers to be present while also manoeuvring a wheelchair.”
Rotherham Council's Assistant Director for Regeneration and Environment, Polly Hamilton, said: “It is important that all visitors have the same enjoyable experience when visiting Rotherham’s country parks and now that the Changing Places facilities are installed, we can now offer this at our most popular green sites and other locations in the borough.”
The aim of the Changing Places campaign was to see Changing Places toilets installed in all large public spaces so that people can access their community and use a toilet facility hygienically and with dignity.
The Council successfully applied for £490,000 from the Government’s Changing Places Fund, which is one of the largest amounts awarded to any Council.