2007-03-07 P&R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Donations Received for the Renovations at Tracie McBride Memorial Park At this time the committee has received $2,350 in donations from local businesses and Eagle Brook Church. I have filled out the appropriate form requesting funding from the Spring Lake Park Lions Charitable Gambling Funds and sent that back to the Lions. Dead Broke Saddle Club is also considering our request for Charitable Gambling Funds and it is on their agenda for March. ADA Accessible Trails at 1601 LaMotte Drive At the February 7, 2007 Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting Committee Member Amundsen asked Mr. Statz, City Engineer, whether the City was required to have ADA accessible trails in the park at 1601 LaMotte Drive. Mr. Statz thought that the trails/walkways could be a porous material, but a walkway directly to a gazebo, for instance, would have to be ADA accessible. He will check on this and report back to the committee. Mr. Statz's response: This is always a tough question and in talking with others in our office I was met with a number of different interpretations. This is probably a question better asked of your attorney. However, here is how our firm tends to interpret the Americans with Disabilities Act... In general, the law talks about providing access to "facilities" which generally means buildings, but can also be interpreted to mean a drinking fountain or a basketball court. In our proposed park, we would probably interpret the Gazebo, fountain, and any other features that are destinations to be "facilities" which need an "accessible route". The park in general or trails that don't go directly to a facility would not necessarily need to meet ADA requirements. As far as the surfacing is concerned the language is pretty vague as well (see below). 4.5 Ground and Floor Sutfaces. 4.5.1 * General. Ground and floor surfaces along accessible routes and in accessible rooms and spaces including floors, walks, ramps, stairs, and curb ramps, shall be stable, firm, slip-resistant, and shall comply with 4.5. Generally speaking it just needs to be "stable" and "firm". We generally view gravel and porous pavements as meeting ADA requirements while Wood Chip or "natural" trails would not. I think the law is just asking for us to use our common sense. If a wheelchair can reasonably operate on it, its probably good enough. As we move along, I will try to provide the parks committee some different options for trail surfacing along with associated prices. Once we get the park laid out, we can have the City Attorney take a quick look to see if there are any other items that may qualify as "facilities". The question was then passed on to Mr. Kurt Glaser, City Attorney who responded with: 20f3