The Town of Oro Valley asserts that all of its actions comply with ADA requirements. That includes the accommodations for handicap individuals at the Community Center and the Pusch Ridge Golf Course.
This, according to an email we received from Town Manager Mary Jacobs. In addition, the town prepared a memo to the town council on March 16 that discussed the town’s ADA compliance.
The Community Center is not subject to ADA accessibility legislation
The Community Center is not subject to ADA accessibility legislation
The reason that the Community Center is ADA compliant is because the bar of compliance is extraordinarily low. According to the town, the facility does not have to comply with ADA regulations because it was built prior to 1992.
“The CRC was constructed before January 26, 1992, and therefore was not subject to ADA accessibility legislation. As the new owner of the building since 2015, the Town is provided with the latitude under ADA … to gradually make the facility fully compliant with current accessibility codes.”
So, in the case of the Community Center, doing nothing complies with the law.
And doing nothing is exactly what the town has done.
ADA compliance does not “Mobility Friendly”
The Community Center may be ADA compliant but it is not “mobility friendly.”
The Community Center may be ADA compliant but it is not “mobility friendly.”
We demonstrated this in our posting last Wednesday. That posting included a video of how difficult it is for a mobility challenged individual to access the Community Center.
Town Manager Jacobs believes that the current access is good enough
Apparently, the video did not have an impact on the thinking of the Town Manager Jacobs.
Town Manager Jacobs believes that the current access is good enough
Apparently, the video did not have an impact on the thinking of the Town Manager Jacobs.
“Currently, the paths a person with a disability takes to enter the facility are long, with involved inclines. However, the routes are at least three feet wide, accessible, and without barriers for both the first and second floors. While not ideal, the structure and design comply with ADA access regulations.”
According to Town Manager Jacobs, “long, inclined routes” are ok for an individual with a walking disability to use; or for someone in a wheelchair that they push themselves; or have their 80 year old spouse push. This, after driving around the parking lot looking for a handicap parking space that doesn’t exist.
Council discussion on April 6
According to Town Manager Jacobs, “long, inclined routes” are ok for an individual with a walking disability to use; or for someone in a wheelchair that they push themselves; or have their 80 year old spouse push. This, after driving around the parking lot looking for a handicap parking space that doesn’t exist.
Council discussion on April 6
It is our understanding that the council will consider this matter at the council meeting of April 6.
It is our hope that they will focus on why the elevator has not been installed. We think it has something to do with the Town Manager's "grand plan" to remodel the community center at substantial cost.
