ABU DHABI // When Kristin Johnson saw her 11-year-old daughter Lena lounging in the water on the Corniche last week, she could not help but smile.
A trip to the beach has always been a challenge for Mrs Johnson, an American who has lived in Abu Dhabi for five years. Lena, who uses a wheelchair, has difficulty crossing the sand and playing in the water can be dangerous.
But last week the municipality donated two floating chairs for beach visitors with special needs. Lena and her classmates from the Future Centre for Special Needs were the first to try out the devices.
"We were so excited, and the other mothers and I were just amazed by how neat the chairs were," Mrs Johnson said. "Before, it was really quite a big deal to go to the beach, and now I feel like we could go whenever."
The floating chairs are available free of charge at Gate 3 on the Family Beach at the Corniche. The chairs are part of the municipality's efforts to increase accessibility on the capital's beachfront.
"For the beach, the vision is to have a world-class destination for people," said Muhra al Muhairi, who heads the beaches section in the municipality. "From a community service perspective, that means we need to serve all categories of people at the beach."
Ms al Muhairi said all beaches had been made accessible in the past two years with the addition of ramps and walkways wide enough for wheelchairs. The new chairs, which she described as "very expensive and very safe", have wheels to allow passengers can be transported across the sand.
"What's most important is that for some of these kids, it was the first time they were able to play in the water," Ms al Muhairi said. "It was obvious that the kids really enjoyed themselves, but mostly we could see the joy on the mothers' faces. They had never seen their children enjoying the water."
Students from other schools and organisations within the capital will also be invited to use the chairs.
The devices will be available at other times, but reservations need to be made an hour in advance. Maria Cruzada, a teacher at the Future Centre, said that the new floats gave her students added options for recreational activities.
"It's just fun for them; it's a break from school," said Ms Cruzada, who has taught at the school for six years. "It gives them a chance to relax and it makes them very calm."
More chairs may be added after the municipality assesses the demand for the new floats.