"Wheelchair Goes Missing"

Disabled Parking Space in Front of Church Is Seriously Off-Center

Albert Preims’s level shows just how steep the descent is.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Tschepp)

There’s a serious problem in front of the church in the Gnigl district of Salzburg. The accessible parking space there has been moved to a steep street. It’s virtually impossible for people who rely on wheelchairs or walkers to park safely and get out of their vehicles. A parish council member is fighting for a better solution...

“People need to be able to get to church safely,” says Albert Preims, chairman of the parish council in Salzburg-Gnigl, who remains shocked by the condition of the accessible parking space in front of his Baroque gem. Many of the visitors have limited mobility and have to park on a slope. “Older people, in particular, want to go to church. But with this parking lot, their wheelchairs tip over.”