Upgrades to Carolina Beach Boardwalk will improve accessibility

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - An upgrade coming to Carolina Beach’s boardwalk aims to make the beach more accessible for all those who want to enjoy it.

A new two story bathroom coming to the boardwalk will add more stalls and will have a ramp from the boardwalk to the second floor for wheelchair access. Councilman Joe Benson said that project is in part because of the growing number of visitors the town sees each year.

“For starters, this building is several decades old, and we knew with a board walk that sees more visitors each succeeding year, that we had to modernize, upgrade,” Benson said.

It also aligns with work being done by the town council and nonprofits in the area to improve accessibility to the beach for those with disabilities. They’re also working to improve beach access points so it’s easier for people using wheelchairs to get on and off the beach.

Benson said the new restroom facility will be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It will replace the current restroom right next to the Ferris wheel on the boardwalk.

“We can have ramp access off the main boardwalk, the wooden boardwalk to my left onto the second story of this newly designed, brand new restroom facility that can accommodate twice as many people now,” Benson said.

The town recently received approval from the Coastal Resources Commission to begin work on that project. The new facility could be completed by the summer of 2024.