The Department of Justice is changing up its regulations when it comes to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For Mooresville Park & Recreation District Superintendent Brent Callahan that means adding accessible stairs on one end, to go along with an already installed accessible ramp on the other.
"And it is not just that one feature, it is the entire facility," said Callahan. "From the parking lot, to the bath house onto the deck and into the water, it has to be a free path."
New pool drains, new splash pads and now new stairs -- Callahan said it is not that he does not make the changes, it is that those changes are costing the district thousands of dollars.
"When you add that all up and the other two means of handicap accessibility, for a facility like ours you are looking at $20,000 to $25,000 just to come into compliance," said Callahan.
Callahan said the district almost did not have enough money to pay for it all.
"We were fortunate to have the financial means to meet those guidelines," said Callahan. "I know some places are struggling even more than we are to meet those."
All pools must undergo changes to meet ADA regulations.
Pools with more than 300 linear feet of pool space must have two of the following features:
- pool lifts
- sloped entries
- transfer walls
- transfer systems
- accessible pool stairs
"There is no stigma attached," said Juli Paini.
Paini is the director of the Indianapolis Office of Disability Affairs. She said ADA rules are not in place to limit public pools, but rather to include the entire public.
"We do not want to segregate people with disabilities, as a person with the disability we do not want to be segregated, we want to go off with our families and enjoy our communities," said Paini. "That is why it is so important for parks and pools be accessible."
Callahan said the accessible stairs have been measured and ordered and should be installed before the pool opens over Memorial Day Weekend. Of the 19 pools Indy Parks and Recreation overseas, all 19 are ADA compliant.
