A brand-new Mobi-Mat has just rolled out at the Bayshore Beach Club near Waldport, Oregon!
Bayshore now joins Florence (Heceta Head) and Gold Beach Visitor’s Center as recipients of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association’s (OCVA) Mobi-Mat funding, which helps to ensure more people can experience the magic of the Oregon Coast. Learn more about the program here.
This project at Bayshore, championed by local advocate Kenn Apel and the Bayshore Beach Access Task Force, marks another important step forward in coastal accessibility.
A Community Effort
Before Bayshore could qualify for mat funding, they needed to build a parking lot near the access point that could accommodate visitors with mobility challenges. While OCVA funded the purchase of the mats, the rest of the Bayshore community stepped up in a big way. Through a grassroots fundraiser, more than $20,000 poured in over just a few short weeks—covering the cost of construction, signage, and permitting.
“The community’s support was overwhelming,” said Apel, Chair of the Beach Access Task Force. “What excites me most is that people who’ve never been able to make it down to the beach finally can. We have a good friend here in Bayshore—she’s around 80—and until the other day, she had never once walked on the beach. I got to walk her down myself. That was so great.”
The Bayshore team is also serious about the ongoing stewardship of the mats. A volunteer crew, the “Mobi-Mat Team”—takes turns twice a week blowing off sand and debris to keep the mat clean and safe.
Big Picture Accessibility
Across the Oregon Coast, over 1,500 feet of Mobi-Mats have been installed—and the number continues to grow. And the impact is clear. Since the rollout, social media has lit up with positivity:
“I cannot express how thrilled this makes me. I’ve not been able to go to the beach for some time because of mobility issues. This is a beautiful thing to see!”
“This is everything. We can get to the beach at last!”
“What a great community that I am lucky to be part of!”
The timing of this rollout is especially meaningful, coming just as the Accessible Oregon Coast Film Tour wrapped up a powerful three-stop journey along the coastline. The tour brought communities together to celebrate accessibility milestones, spark fresh ideas, and share stories through a series of short films produced by GLP Films and featuring more than 40 organizations working toward a more inclusive Oregon Coast. You can learn more and view the films here.
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About Travelabilty on the Oregon Coast
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the development of accessibility infrastructure like accessible piers and kayak launches, Mobi-mats, David’s Chairs, and so many more projects implemented by partners who are dedicated to truly making the People’s Coast accessible to everyone. Learn more about these initiatives and the latest ‘Travelabilty’ news here.
We also host an Oregon Coast Travelabilty Basecamp group, which works to improve the experience on the Oregon Coast through improved infrastructure, programs and partners focusing on accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion. The group meets regularly to share the latest news and developments in Travelabilty on the coast. If you are interested in being part of this group, contact industry@thepeoplescoast.com