ITF

17 FACILITIES GUIDE | JUNE 2020 DESIGN PRINCIPLES - NEW FACILITIES • New facilities (particularly indoor centres) may have a number of wheelchair users visiting at any one time. It may, therefore, be necessary to design for 'passing bays' positioned at strategic points, i.e. at the back of each court or on narrow access paths. This would enable the players to pass with ease. Also, designing open plan areas into the facility assists with access issues. • Showers, toilets and cubicles (if provided) should allow for easy transfer from a wheelchair. There should not be any step up or down into the shower compartment. Shower heads, soap dispensers, etc., should all be located within easy reach when seated (approx. 1.3 m). • New facility projects should have an ongoing accessibility appraisal undertaken throughout the process. • Court surfaces – refer to guidance notes on court surfaces. The order of preference of court surfaces for a wheelchair player is: acrylic, asphalt, clay, carpet, grass, artificial grass. DESIGN PRINCIPLES - EXISTING FACILITIES • In addition to the signage of designated areas for disabled people (e.g. car parking spaces, entrances, disabled toilets, etc.) care should be taken to provide clear signage to facilities such as lifts, fire exits, changing rooms and the main activity and social areas within the tennis facility. • It is advisable to undertake an access audit to determine the current accessibility situation at the club.

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