LIMA 2019: “WE ARE PREPARED TO RECEIVE THE BEST PARA ATHLETES OF THE AMERICAS”

With the success of the Pan American Games still in our memory, Peru is getting ready to be part of a wonderful and unforgettable experience: the sixth edition of the Parapan American Games to be held in our country, starting on August 23. 

Our country will receive 1890 Para athletes from 33 countries, including Peru, that will compete in this multi-sports event where athletes with physical, intellectual or visual impairments, among other impairments, will participate.  

Our country will make a big step toward universal accessibility, as Lima 2019 is preparing to receive the Para athletes at the Parapan American Village at Villa El Salvador, where they will be housed, and at several sports venues, where they will be seen in action. 

Wilhelm Funcke, projects and infrastructure manager of Lima 2019 visited the Parapan American Village to supervise the preparations for the arrival of Para athletes and technical officials. “We are making the finishing touches to the overlay infrastructure at the Parapan American Village and sports venues. The final infrastructure has all accesses completed, ramps, signage, tactile walking indicators and accessible bathrooms for people with motor impairments. I’m sure we are going to deliver completely accessible Parapan American Games,” Funcke added. 

All the people coming to the Parapan American Games will be housed between the 1st to 12th floor of the Village, where they will have all amenities. “We have four accessible room groups for people with motor impairment, with wide hallways, big bathrooms with enough space for an accompanying person, braille language, and emergency lights. We are meeting all requirements to give all amenities to Para athletes,” he said. 

Funcke stated that the Village was built to allow “transit without the use of stairs, especially for wheelchairs. That was possible thanks to the para athletes’ advice. We are adding some ramps that were missing for the perfect transit in wheelchairs. Although they are part of the overlay infrastructure.” 

“WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE THE PARA ATHLETES” 

Wilhelm Funcke said that during the transition period from the Pan American to the Parapan American Games “a few adjustments at the venues” are being made. “Venues have universal accessibility anyway, which was include in the project’s planning since the very beginning,” he said. 

The Lima 2019 Director pointed out that the organization is prepared for the Parapan American Games. “As we were ready for the Pan American Games, we are ready to deliver the Parapan Americans Games and to receive the best Para athletes of the Americas. We hope to have the same incredible success we had with the Pan American Games,” Funcke emphasized.   

ACCESSIBLE VILLAGE 

The Parapan American Village is the first accessible residential complex in Lima. The building has 336 accessible apartments. Its design was conceived to offer accessible facilities throughout all the complex.  

This can mostly be seen in the distribution of accessible apartments for wheelchair users, the provision of accessible toilets for wheelchair users, accessible furniture and urban equipment, as well as tactile paving for people with visual impairment. 

Lima 2019 will leave a legacy of new sport infrastructure, designed under international standards of accessibility, never seen before in our country. This infrastructure will guarantee the development of sport competitions at the highest level in accessible environments and facilities. This will benefit of the Paralympic Movement and Para athletes who did not have adequate facilities to train and compete. 

There are 1096 apartments: 548 of them of 70 m2, 212 of 73 m2 and 336 of 75 m2. These last apartments have been modified to be accessible for people with impairments. 

Each building at the Village has four elevators with capacity for 18 people and wheelchair access. The Village has tactile tiles in pedestrian areas and bike lanes to ease the transit of athletes with visual impairment to their accommodation buildings. 

Braille signage was installed in all stories of the buildings. This “universal language” warns and informs people about the transit and necessary measures in case of an event endangering an athlete with visual impairment.  

This system was also installed in the elevator buttons, which are located at the sides of each building. These buildings also have wide inner corridors and 28 elevators to facilitate the transit of people with motor impairment who have to move around in a wheelchair.