Disabled parking row

By Tania Martin
A COCKATOO mother last week said she was “fed up” with people parking in disabled parking spots after she was made to feel embarrassed about asking someone to move their car recently.
Kim Easdon, whose daughter, Emma, 4 has spina bifida and has no use of her legs, said she had an argument with the manager of the Cockatoo Children’s Centre after she asked a lady to move her car which was parked next to the disabled access ramp.
Mrs Easdon said that there is just not enough parking at the childcare centre, with only two disabled and two regular parking spaces.
She said a lot of people just don’t seem to care that they are parking in disabled spots.
Mrs Easdon said that on Friday, 3 February, she went to take Emma to the childcare centre and the disabled parking spots were all taken.
Another car was parked next to the access ramp, which meant that she was unable to get Emma to the centre.
Mrs Easdon said she went inside the centre and asked the woman whose car was parked near the ramp in a polite manner to move her car.
“The woman said that she would move her car, but that I would have to wait, which was fine,” she said.
Mrs Easdon said it was then that the centre manager came out and started having a go at her.
“She told me that I was not allowed to speak to other parents, and if they are parked in the disabled area to leave Emma unattended in the car and come into the centre to let the staff know and they will do something about it.
“But I said that I couldn’t leave Emma unattended in the car and she told me, in that situation, I should wait in the car and toot my horn,” she said.
Mrs Easdon has also raised concerns about the state of the childcare centre’s ramp.
She said there is no railing on one side of the ramp, which is made of gravel.
“In the wet weather, Emma will get mud and germs all over her before getting inside because the ramp isn’t made of concrete,” she said.
Mrs Easdon said that she has been forced to take Emma to Avonsleigh Pre-school, where the facilities are much better.
She said Emma still has to go to the centre one day a week as a lot of the Yooralla programs are run through there.
“I would rather not have to confront people, but if I have to I will. It is not about them or even me, it is about Emma and making it as easy as possible for her to be independent and helping her to fit in,” she said.
The Mail approached the Shire of Cardinia for a comment, but it did not respond in time for print.