MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – Myrtle Beach City Council gave initial approval Tuesday to set aside $125,000 in hospitality tax money for a proposed beach wheelchair program.
City officials said the funding would cover the first-year costs of purchasing beach wheelchairs and automated lockers. Under the proposal from the city’s Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism Department.
Use of the beach wheelchairs would be free to the public, officials said.
The plan calls for four automated lockers, operated through a RentFun program, with four beach wheelchairs at each location for a total of 16. Proposed locker sites are 15th Avenue South, Second Avenue North, 26th Avenue North and 53rd Avenue North.
City staff said all four locations have handicap beach access parking and accessible walkovers.
Council members and staff are still working through program details, including how long a wheelchair could be checked out at a time, such as a four-hour or 24-hour allowance.
City staff said they are already in the permitting phase for installing a beach access mat at 15th Avenue South.
Officials said that the S.C. Department of Environmental Services must permit a location before a mat can be installed.
If approved, the city said 15th Avenue South would be the first location to have both a beach wheelchair kiosk and an access mat.
The budget change will require a second reading before it can be finalized.
City officials said work is already underway on the steps needed to launch the program and estimated it could take about two months to complete if permitting is approved.
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