Durango City councilors take a spin around downtown
Pair uses wheelchairs to learn about obstacles to access for disabled people
“This is tough. I’m not even going to try to open the door because I roll down the incline,” said City Councilor Barbara Noseworthy as she tried to get into the U.S. Post Office on Sunday while in a wheelchair.
Noseworthy and City Councilor Melissa Youssef spent the morning negotiating their way through downtown Durango in wheelchairs to get a greater appreciation of the obstacles people with disabilities face getting around town.
The effort came on the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and requires cities, counties and school districts to make reasonable accommodations to facilitate access for disabled individuals – it’s the reason you now see sidewalk cuts flush with the streets at intersections across the country.
“The Community Relations Commission wanted us to get a better understanding of how hard it is for people who use wheelchairs to get around,” Noseworthy said.
Youssef said Noseworthy and she were interested in examining the sidewalk cuts and other accommodations made for people who use wheelchairs. They want to ensure they are properly maintained and they are looking for other ideas to help people with disabilities get around town.
It quickly became apparent to the two city councilors that minor imperfections suddenly seemed like bigger issues when you’re in a wheelchair.
Read the full article on the Durango Herald at: https://durangoherald.com/articles/333156-city-councilors-take-a-spin-around-downtown