The Regina Dragon Boat Festival is coming up next weekend, and organizers say this year’s event will be more accessible than ever. Through the City of Regina accessibility grant and other sponsors, the docks at the Wascana Marina have been enhanced. They’re wider and longer, allowing people with differing physical abilities easier access to the boats. Mark Burton, assistant vice president of sport for the Regina Dragon Boat Festival, said the new docks will be almost the length of the boat, which will allow them to directly load people into the boat. “Currently, the [dock] fingers are 15 feet long while the dragon boat is 44 feet long. That means people have to jump over the seats in the boat and if you’re disabled, amputee, or blind that makes it quite troublesome. The new docks are going to be 30 and 40 feet long,” he said. Organizers and volunteers hope to be done with installation by the end of Thursday. They say the old pieces will be re-used. The new docks can be used by anyone visiting Wascana Lake, not just the athletes. The Dragon Boat Festival will take place from Aug. 25 to Aug. 26. -With files from Katy Syrota
