Publications
A new trolley ramp installed at an entrance to Checkers at Eikestad Mall, Stellenbosch has drawn praise and positive comment from consumers. It has been built to create ease of access and convenience for all shopping visits there.
The initiative of the mall owners and management has also been applauded by a local disability group for, as quoted, “creating a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all.”
The 30 m long ramp, built at a gentle 1:12 incline, eliminates a 300 m walk shoppers had previously had, pushing their trolleys to get from Checkers to the Andringa Street parking area. Customers for whom climbing stairs is not an option can now use the ramp to enter and exit Checkers and neighbouring shops at the Andringa Street entrance, opposite the municipal parking.
The ramp was officially opened on Friday 27 January. Jackie van Niekerk, CEO of property group Attacq, which co-owns Eikestad Mall with Key Capital, snipped the ribbon to the cheers of the small gathering.
One of the most important advantages of the ramp is the accessibility it provides to people with special needs. In an appreciative nod across the centre’s social media platforms, Ricardo Lodewyk of the Cloetesville Disability Exercise Group thanked the mall management for their “commitment to inclusion and accessibility” that would “no doubt make a positive impact on the lives of many individuals.”
Eikestad Mall General Manager André Williams described the ramp as “a natural fit with the mall’s ongoing endeavours to enhance the convenience and shopping experience of every customer.”
