City pools open with new features for disabled
May. 21, 2013 @ 05:48 PM
Dennis Macomber with the High Point Parks and Recreation Department demonstrates the operation of a chair for disabled access at the Oak Hollow campgrounds pool.
HIGH POINT —
Water slides, spring boards and high dives are signatures of a community swimming pool, but they will not be the only pieces of pool equipment around this summer.
Imagine you do not have use of your arms and legs. How would you get into or out of a swimming pool, or would you avoid the pool completely?
Effective last Jan. 31, all public swimming pools in the United States must be equipped with assisted entry systems, according to the American Disability Association compliance law. Now people with disabilities can access the health and leisure benefits of public pools.
The High Point Parks and Recreation Department wants to ensure that the city of High Point is in compliance with the new law, which carries civil penalties for noncompliance. All three of High Point’s city pools — City Lake Park, Washington Terrace Park and Oak Hollow Family Campground — meet the new regulations said Allen Oliver, director of High Point Parks and Recreation.
“We brought in a specialist to complete an assessment of our pool to ensure we were in compliance,” Oliver said “Pools greater than 300 liner feet, such as City Lake and Washington Terrance, have been equipped with two means of assisted entry: specialized steps and zero step/sloped entry. Pools with less than 300 linear feet, such as the Oak Hollow Family Campground, have been equipped with one assisted entry system, a swimming pool lift chair.”
The assessment found the City Lake pool to be in compliance, and no adjustment needed to be made. Washington Terrance pool only needed specialized steps added, and the Oak Hollow campground needed the swimming pool lift chair.
The swimming pool lift chair cost about $4,400 and can accommodate park guests weighing up to 350 pounds. The chair can be used to assist guests who cannot use the entry ladder to get into the pool, he said.
“The park staff will be trained to use the equipment, but the good thing is the chair lift can be totally operated by a handicapped guest alone or their caregiver. The chair lift is totally battery operated. Staff does not have to be present, and it is very safe,” Oliver said. “The best thing about the swimming pool lift chair and the new ADA regulations is that we now can serve anyone who wants to use our pools.”
Effective last Jan. 31, all public swimming pools in the United States must be equipped with assisted entry systems, according to the American Disability Association compliance law. Now people with disabilities can access the health and leisure benefits of public pools.
The High Point Parks and Recreation Department wants to ensure that the city of High Point is in compliance with the new law, which carries civil penalties for noncompliance. All three of High Point’s city pools — City Lake Park, Washington Terrace Park and Oak Hollow Family Campground — meet the new regulations said Allen Oliver, director of High Point Parks and Recreation.
“We brought in a specialist to complete an assessment of our pool to ensure we were in compliance,” Oliver said “Pools greater than 300 liner feet, such as City Lake and Washington Terrance, have been equipped with two means of assisted entry: specialized steps and zero step/sloped entry. Pools with less than 300 linear feet, such as the Oak Hollow Family Campground, have been equipped with one assisted entry system, a swimming pool lift chair.”
The assessment found the City Lake pool to be in compliance, and no adjustment needed to be made. Washington Terrance pool only needed specialized steps added, and the Oak Hollow campground needed the swimming pool lift chair.
The swimming pool lift chair cost about $4,400 and can accommodate park guests weighing up to 350 pounds. The chair can be used to assist guests who cannot use the entry ladder to get into the pool, he said.
“The park staff will be trained to use the equipment, but the good thing is the chair lift can be totally operated by a handicapped guest alone or their caregiver. The chair lift is totally battery operated. Staff does not have to be present, and it is very safe,” Oliver said. “The best thing about the swimming pool lift chair and the new ADA regulations is that we now can serve anyone who wants to use our pools.”
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