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This project’s initiative was to go above and beyond the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) to provide universal access to a waterfront township park in Plainfield Township, Michigan. The challenges, defined by topography, fluctuating lake levels, and a lake/beach environment, had to be overcome by nontraditional methods. Creative solutions were used to provide access for individuals with a disability to engage Versluis Lake. A unique water access ramp and transfer station provide opportunities to enter the water. A viewing deck with companion seating areas allows friends and families to sit together side by side in a social setting. A floating pier with accessible fishing stations and seating creates another recreation opportunity. Nontraditional, creative designs can empower people with disabilities to recreate along a park’s waterfront. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ACCESSIBLE CABINS Maryland's Smallwood State Park, located on the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C., provides boating access to some great fishing spots--an important factor in its previous selection as [...]

According to the ADA, people with disabilities have the right to participate in public park and recreation services. Important gains in their access to activities of their choosing since the ADA was written into law, in part due to individuals being able to request reasonable accommodations. The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of people with disabilities who participate in public park and recreation services on whether their accommodation needs are met and if they are effective in facilitating meaningful recreation experiences. Participants reported requesting reasonable accommodations was a way to exercise civil rights and gain access to meaningful recreation activities. They also reported a duality in requesting accommodations in that they were met with confusion, lack of understanding, and reluctance. It is recommended that the park and recreation profession undergo a paradigm shift and embrace making reasonable accommodations as an important professional skill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]