N. Oregon Coast's Seaside Gets Mobi-Mats for Wheelchair Access

Published 08/29/23 at 4:07 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Seaside, Oregon) – A giant blue formation has settled itself on the beaches of Seaside, echoing the ocean's color but also heralding something special for those with mobility issues. Mobi-mats have come to the north Oregon coast town, installed at the 12th Avenue access to increase access for everyone.

As the Seaside Visitor Center put it: “from wheelchair users to wagon pullers and anyone who would benefit from a 'highway' through the dunes and sand toward the water line.”

850 feet of mobi-mats are out there now, installed as of August 25. Seaside joins Lincoln City as the second Oregon coast town to host this, making what is likely the longest stretch of such accessibility. Seaside does, in general, have the widest beach on the coastline, however.

“Like the Prom before it, this resource is intended for our community and visitors alike to enjoy for years to come,” the center said.

Joshua Heineman, Seaside's Director of Tourism Marketing, said this has been in the works for awhile.

“I’ve been working for more than a year to get that mobi-mat out there,” Heineman told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER VIDEO

They were purchased by Visit Seaside, Oregon and installed on the morning of the 25th. They will remain in place seasonally as conditions allow.

According to the Mobi-Mat company that makes them:

“They are ADA compliant, portable, non-slip and roll-up, which create temporary pathways that make beach access better. They are 100 percent recycled polyester and are salt-water resistant. The ocean blue mobility mats are 450 feet long and six-and-a-half feet wide.”

Seaside recently acquired a track chair to lend – an all-terrain beach wheelchair that is capable of getting over the varied landscape of Oregon coast beaches. There are also several of those in various Tillamook County towns, part of the “David's Chairs” program. For the David's Chairs in Seaside and Manzanita, make reservations at David’s Chair or call 503-812-5510.

In 2018, Seaside also brought on two beach wheelchairs. Outfitted with large, wide tires, the wheel chairs make it much easier for mobility-impaired persons to go on the sand.

Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling the Bob Chisholm Community Center staff at 503-738-7393. Reservations are completely free and will be made on a first-come, first-served basis for a maximum of four hours. MORE PHOTOS BELOW

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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