Ramp no. 50 installed in Hafnarfjörður

A well-attended and popular destination for the whole family.

The project Ramps up Iceland has arrived in Hafnarfjörður and, for the past few days, two ramps have on average been set up daily in the heart of the town. Ramp number 50 was installed at the Vesturbær Ice Cream Parlour on Fjarðargata in Hafnarfjörður today, and it was deemed appropriate to have a representative of the younger generation to formally inaugurate the ramp. An ice cream parlour is a great example of a popular destination for children, young people and the whole family. The alteration to the level and gradient at the entrance to the ice cream parlour was not extensive, but the impact on accessibility was significant.

Ramps Up Iceland arrives in Hafnarfjörður 

^{Mayor Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir and Ágúst Bjarni Garðarsson, a board member of Ramps up Iceland, said a few well-chosen words at the opening. Here with them are Haraldur Þorleifsson, the project's instigator; Vilhjálmur Hauksson, who was in charge of cutting the ribbon; and Inga Björk Ingadóttir, a musician and music therapist at Hljóma.}   

^{Viljálmur Hauksson performed the official opening of ramp no. 50. Viljálmur, or Villi, is a 13-year-old pupil at Setbergsskóli.}

„We have been eagerly awaiting the project's arrival in Hafnarfjörður, and the town's staff have worked hard to facilitate it. This initiative is exemplary, and the implementation is both an awareness-raiser and an inspiration for the government, local authorities and businesses. It is all about everyone reviewing their own accessibility and ensuring good access. We at Hafnarfjörður Municipality are systematically reviewing the accessibility of all our institutions because we truly want everyone, regardless of physical ability and mobility, to be able to access the services they require.“ says Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, mayor of Hafnarfjörður. Römpum upp Ísland aims to install a thousand new ramps all over Iceland over the next four years. Of these, at least 80 will be installed in Hafnarfjörður. Haraldur Þorleifsson, a Twitter executive and founder of the design firm Ueno, is the project's driving force.

Villi opens ramp no. 50

Vilhjálmur Hauksson performed the official opening of ramp no. 50. Vilhjálmur, or Villi, is a 13-year-old pupil at Setbergsskóli in Hafnarfjörður who uses a wheelchair himself and has, despite his young age, made a significant impact with his proposals and discussions on human rights, education, the environment and accessibility. Both on his own and as a representative of the Children's Ombudsman's advisory group. Villi is a powerful representative of the younger generation, and this small change made to the access and entrance of an ice cream parlour has a great impact on the accessibility for Villi and others who live with any kind of mobility impairment.

^{Villi with his mother, Kolbrún Benediktsdóttir.}  

Emphasis is placed on places with a vibrant social life and significant impact.

In the first phase, 30 locations in the centre of Hafnarfjörður have been marked out, and it is planned to install at least 80 ramps in the town in the coming months. It was decided to initially focus on minor and major works at the entrances of service providers, cafés, shops and restaurants in the heart of Hafnarfjörður, and to prioritise ramps at locations with high footfall, where the impact would be greatest. The 'Ramps Up Iceland' project has the important aim of improving accessibility for people with mobility impairments, and the project promotes greater equality for all and freedom for everyone to participate fully in society. A fund was established with the involvement of numerous companies and parties, who will cover the costs for the retail and restaurant owners participating in the project. The project's sponsors are Ueno, the Ministry of the Interior, the Equalisation Fund for Municipalities, the City of Reykjavík, BM Vallá, Davíð Helgason, Össur, InfoCapital, Brandenburg, Efla, Aton.JL, Deloitte, LEX, Gæðaendurskoðun ehf., ÖBÍ and Sjálfsbjörg.

All information about the project is on rampur.is