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V'air低碳本地遊獲滾動力量（Wheel Power Challenge）邀請，協辦「Wheel We Meet@港島南」輪椅體驗。活動在週日（2018年3月25日）順利舉辦，參加者親身了解到輪椅使用者的需要。當天參加者共分成四隊，輪流試坐輪椅，體驗傷殘人士每日出行遇到的困難。在體驗的同時，參加者透過觀察及紀錄社區設計，進行「無障礙旅遊調查」（Barrier-Free Travel Interview），期望能整合無障礙資料，讓輪椅使用者更安心地出遊。V'air是次活動負責規劃遊逛鴨脷洲的路線，並提供低碳遊資訊，讓參加者更深入了解南港島的歷史和生態。V'air稍後會將此無障礙路線加入網站，給輪椅使用者多一個外遊的好去處，讓他們能接觸不同社區，感受各區的風情，並將低碳本地遊的概念帶到傷健共融的社群。
農曆2月13日是鴨脷洲的「洪聖誕」，即新曆3月29日，因此活動當天有一連串慶祝洪聖誕的表演巡遊，鴨脷洲人頭湧湧，非常熱鬧。路線由金鐘港鐵站F出口出發，因為F出口是該站唯一有升降機的出口。參加者首先要體驗由金鐘站去南港島線的月台，當中的路段其實很轉折。等候升降機的時間非常長，最高峰是一部輪椅等了6部升降機才可以內進。在繁忙時間，如果沒有需要，請大家儘量少乘升降機，改用自動扶手電梯。從金鐘到南港島線的月台，平常10分鐘的路程，輪椅人士要花上30分鐘甚至更長的時間。
這次遊覽南港島鴨脷洲，從利東出發，海怡半島離開。我們乘坐南港島線到利東站下車，在A1出口「鴨脷洲大街」離開。經過一輪舟車勞頓，大家都餓了，便去鴨脷洲大街這條食肆林立的「美食街」覓食。輪椅使用者選擇餐廳也要考慮幾個條件。何謂無障礙餐廳？最基本是入口處最好沒有梯級，最多只可有一級很矮的梯級。另外，椅子必須可以移動，讓輪椅可以「停泊」在桌子旁邊，當然桌子的高度最好符合輪椅使用者的高度。
根據我們當天親身驗證，可以確認下列餐廳是無障礙的：
- 港仔雲吞
- 鴨脷洲市政大樓熟食中心
- 金寶海鮮酒家 (已結業)
- 海港食家 (已結業)
接著，一眾參加者到洪聖街觀賞「洪聖誕」的巡遊表演。「洪聖誕」是紀念洪聖大王的節日，相傳洪聖大王是唐朝重臣，精通天文地理，常常幫助漁民。洪聖死後更英靈不滅，多次拯救人民，被供奉為「海神」。鴨脷洲近海，以往大多居民以捕魚為生，於1773年（乾隆三十八年）興建洪聖廟祀奉洪聖大王。此廟宇對漁民意義重大，是鴨脷洲上最重要的廟宇，現在成了法定古蹟「洪聖古廟」，擁有超過200年歷史。廟內保留著珍貴的歷史文物，包括1773年鑄造的古鐘和清代石灣陶塑。
「洪聖誕」是鴨脷洲年度盛事，吸引大批居民前來祭祀。3月25日是洪聖誕前的週末，洪聖街場面熱鬧，有舞龍舞獅表演、賀誕巡遊、中國傳統舞蹈等等，排場好比長洲飄色巡遊。洪聖誕正日，農曆2月13日（3月29日）更會按傳統習俗上演神功戲。
參觀畢洪聖古廟後，參加者坐輪椅沿著迷人的鴨脷洲海濱到風之塔公園。海濱的路段不時有些欄杆，原意大概用來阻擋單車、手推車等，卻未有周全地考慮輪椅人士的需要，輪椅只是僅僅穿過兩條欄杆中間的空隙。風之塔公園的入口的欄杆更加密集，大型輪椅難以穿過，對輪椅人士造成障礙。
風之塔公園建於2009年，政府斥資1億巨額興建。公園糅合了鴨脷洲的漁村文化，最特色的地標莫過於公園末端的「風之塔」。這座風帆形狀的建築是一個觀景台，同時能感測風力。晚間風帆上的燈光用以反映風力，例如全綠燈代表無風，全紅燈代表8號風球或以上的風速。「風之塔」發光的電力來自太陽能板，環保理念貫徹其中。風之塔旁邊有個日晷，倒影顯示時間，大家可以和手錶核對一下，驗證中國古代智慧。
水月宮座落在公園的中央，是一座觀音廟，被列作三級歷史建築。可是，廟宇前有一排樓梯級，絕對是天大的障礙，令輪椅人士無法入內參觀或祭祀。若能加建斜路，便可以把此廟宇變成「無障礙」了。
另外一大窒礙輪椅人士逛街的是缺乏傷殘人士洗手間。傷殘人士廁所普遍只能在政府建築、公園、商場等地找到，鬧市街頭的傷殘人士洗手間少之又少。因此，參加者都在風之塔公園的傷殘人士洗手間先解決解決生理需要。後來問及為何傷殘人士洗手間最好是獨立出來，而非在男廁或女廁裏面，這是顧慮到照顧者未必與輪椅使用者同一性別。
回程時候，我們想試試用輪椅走到海怡半島站。街坊說有條捷徑在風之塔公園旁，可以通往海怡半島站。但這條路徑是「長命梯」，當然不適合輪椅人士。我們走到利東站A2出口，搭升降機上地面，到達鴨脷洲大橋，這裡就是輪椅友善的「捷徑」，可通往海怡半島港鐵站。我們繞路走了去海濱長廊，之後可到海怡商場南翼找傷殘人士廁所，順道找餐廳吃點東西補充體力。
活動完成後，各位參加者輪流分享感受，很多人表示體驗後會更留意傷殘人士的需要，即使一個梯級、地面少許不平也會成為莫大的障礙。一位參加者說，參加前不明白為何這個體驗活動同時稱作義工活動，完成活動後明白了箇中原因。Wheel Power Challenge的義工附和，表述學習與服務之間緊密的關係。“Learn before you serve”，我們要照顧輪椅使用者，首先要明白和理解他們的需要，而參加體驗正正是了解他們最真實的需求。以後大家看到商店前的一級，就會聯想到它造成的障礙。港鐵站內儘量不去乘坐升降機，預留位置給真正有需要的人。
English version
V'air Hong Kong was invited by Wheel Power Challenge to hold the wheelchair experience activity“Wheel We Meet@Southern Hong Kong Island”. The activity was successfully held on 25th March, participants learned firsthand about the needs of wheelchair users. Natalie Chung and Kitty Wong represented V'air at the event, where they designed the route and led guided tour for participants to explore the history and culture of Southern Island.
On that day, participants were divided into four teams, taking turns to try on a wheelchair and experience the daily difficulties encountered by the disabled. At the same time, participants observe and record community design which is ‘Barrier-Free Travel Interview’, in order to integrate accessible information to make wheelchair users more comfortable. V'air Hong Kong is responsible for planning the route to visit Ap Lei Chau and providing low-carbon travel information to give participants a deeper understanding of the history and ecology of Southern Hong Kong Island. This barrier-free route will be added to the website later, giving wheelchair users a good place to travel, so that they can reach out to different communities, experience the style of each district, and bring the concept of low-carbon local tour to the inclusive community of the disabled and able-bodied.
On the lunar calendar, 13th February is Ap Lei Chau's "Birth of Hong Shing", which is the 29th March on the new calendar. So on the day of the event, there was a series of performance parades to celebrate "Birth of Hong Shing". There were loads of people in Ap Lei Chau and it was very lively. The route starts from Admiralty MTR Station Exit F, as it is the only exit with a lift. Participants must first experience the platform from Admiralty Station to the South Island Line. The road section is actually very complicated. The waiting for the lift is very long. The highest peak is a wheelchair waiting for 6 lifts in order to enter. During peak hours, if there is no need, please take the elevator as little as possible and switch to escalator. Usually it takes 10 minutes from the Admiralty to reach the platform of the South Island Line, wheelchair users need spend 30 minutes or even longer.
At this tour of Ap Lei Chau, we started in Lei Tung and left in South Horizons. We took the South Island Line to get off at Li Tung Station and left at A1 exit "Ap Lei Chau Main Street". Everyone felt hungry and was fatigued by a long journey, so we went off to Ap Lei Chau Main Street which is filled with restaurants to search for food. There are several conditions that wheelchair users should consider when choosing a restaurant. What is an accessible restaurant? The most basic is that there is no step at the entrance, and at most there can be only one level of very short steps. In addition, the chair must be movable so that the wheelchair can be "parked" next to the table, although the height of the table is preferably up to the height of the wheelchair user.
According to our personal verification on the same day, we can confirm that the following restaurants are accessible for wheelchair users:
- Harbour Wonton
- Ap Lei Chau Cooked Food Market
- Kim Bo Seafood Restaurant (permanently cloased)
- Harbour Restaurant (permanently closed)
After that, we all went to Hong Shing Street in order to watch "Birth of Hong Shing" festival's parade. This festival
is to commemorate Hong Shing Tai Wong. According to history, King Hong Shing is a minister of the Tang Dynasty. He is proficient in astronomical geography and often helps fishermen. After the death of Hong Shing, the spirit was not destroyed. He saved the people many times and was enshrined as "Poseidon". As Ap Lei Chau is a coastal town, many residents used to fish for a living, they built a Hong Shing Temple to worship King Hong Shing in 1773. This temple is of great significance to the fishermen, it is the most important temple on Ap Lei Chau and is now a declared monument. It has a history of more than 200 years, precious historical artifacts are preserved in the temple, including the ancient bells cast in 1773 and the Shiwan pottery in the Qing Dynasty.
"Birth of Hong Shing" is the annual event of Ap Lei Chau, attracting a large number of residents to come and worship. 25th March was the weekend before "Birth of Hong Shing". The scene of Hong Shing Street was lively, with dragon and lion dance performances, Chinese ceremonies, traditional Chinese dances, etc. On "Birth of Hong Shing", the lunar calendar on 13th February ( 29th March), chinese opera will be performed in accordance of traditional customs.
After visiting the Shi Hong temple , the participants took a wheelchair along the charming Ap Lei Chau waterfront to the Wind Tower Park. There are some railings on the waterfront from time to time. The original intention is to block bicycles, trolleys, etc., but the needs of wheelchair users are not fully considered. The wheelchair can merely passes through the gap between the two railings. The railings at the entrance to the Wind Tower Park are denser, and large wheelchairs are difficult to pass, posing obstacles for wheelchair users.
The Wind Tower Park was built in 2009 and the government invested 100 million hkd to build. The park blends in the culture of the fishing village of Ap Lei Chau. The most distinctive landmark is the "Tower of the Wind" at the end of the park. This sail canvas-shaped building is an observation deck that senses wind. The lights on the sails in the evening are used to reflect the wind speed. For example, green light represents no wind, and red light represents the wind speed of No. 8 typhoon or above. The electricity of the "Tower of the Wind" is generated from solar panels, which environmental friendly concept is implemented. There is a sundial next to the tower of the wind, and the reflection shows the time. You can check with the watch to verify the wisdom of ancient China.
The Palace of Water and Moon (Shui Yuet Kong) is located in the middle of the park. It is a Goddess of Mercy (Kwun Yum) Temple and is listed as a grade three historical building. However, there is a row of stairs in front of the temple, which is a big obstacle for wheelchair users to visit and worship. If a slope can be added, the temple can be turned into "accessible".
Another major obstacle to wheelchair users is the lack of disabled toilets. Toilets for the disabled can only be found in government buildings, parks, shopping malls, etc. There are very few toilets for the disabled on the streets. Therefore, the participants first solved their needs in the disabled bathroom in the Wind Tower Park. Moreover, someone asked why the disabled toilets are best to be independent, not in the men's or women's toilets. This is a concern that the caregiver may not be the same sex as the wheelchair user.
On the return trip, we would like to try to walk to the South Horizons Station on a wheelchair. The neighborhood said that there is a shortcut nearby the Wind Tower Park, which leads to the South Horizons Station. But this path is a long flight of stairs and certainly not suitable for wheelchair users. We went to the A2 exit of Li Tung Station, took the lift to the ground floor and reached the Ap Lei Chau Bridge. This is a wheelchair-friendly "shortcut" that leads to the South Horizons MTR station. We walked around the promenade, then we went to the south wing of the South Horizons Mall to find the disabled toilet, and went to get some snacks.
After the event, participants took turns to share their feelings. Many people said that they will pay more attention to the needs of the disabled, even a step and an uneven ground will become a big obstacle. One participant said that before the event, he did not understand why this experience activity was also called a volunteer activity. After completing it, he understood the reason. Volunteers of the Wheel Power Challenge organisation explained about the relationship between learning and serving: “Learn before you serve.” To take care of wheelchair users, we must first understand their needs, and the experience is to let us learn about their true needs. In the future, when we see the level before the store, we will think of the obstacles caused by it. We will also try not to take the lifts in the MTR station and reserve a location for those who really in need.