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Some public pools face closure over disability rules
June 20, 2011
By SAM SHAWVER , Marietta Times
http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/549184/Some-public-pools-face-closure-over-disability-rules.html?nav=5061
MARIETTA - New Americans with Disabilities Act regulations could force some smaller public pools to close next summer.
The new rules, which became law on March 15 of this year, require public pools and spas to provide at least two means for disabled persons to enter the water.
Compliance with the rules is mandated for all public facilities by March 15, 2012.
"The requirement is for a primary and secondary entrance for disabled people to get into the pool," said Mike Bishman, owner of Professional Pool Management LLC, which operates the Marietta Aquatic Center and six other area pools.
"The primary for the aquatic center and Beverly pool is a zero depth entrance ramp, for example," he said. "But now they'll also need a secondary entrance, like a set of portable stairs or a portable lift."
Bishman said the price for a lift, which uses a harness and remote control device to lower a person into the water, may start around $6,000 in addition to shipping costs. He said portable stairs, made of PVC, could cost around $2,200.
But he also noted that some older area pools do not have any type of entry for disabled clients, and by next summer those facilities would require the installation of both a primary and secondary entrance.
"This can really hurt municipalities who will have to spend extra money to be compliant with these new rules," Bishman said. "And some smaller pools may have a hard time budgeting to meet the ADA requirements."
Beverly Councilman Jim Ullman agreed, noting the village has lost about $30,000 on its pool operations over the last two years, and the council had considered not opening the five-year-old facility this summer.
"We've done everything we could to keep it open this year and to reduce our losses," he said. "But it's regulations like this that may close our pool."
Ullman said the Beverly facility does have a zero depth entrance ramp, but no secondary entrance.
"We're researching grants to possibly help us purchase a lift, but have found nothing so far," he said.
"If pools have to close, what's next," Ullman asked, adding that people could head back to area rivers to swim, which would be extremely unsafe.
Mary Callihan, manager at the 1960s-era Lowell pool, was not aware of the new ADA regulation, and noted the village barely breaks even on pool operations each year.
"We just paid more than $900 for a new filter pump motor - there's no money just lying around for us to use on these expenses," she said.
The Lowell pool has no primary nor secondary entrance for disabled folks, although Callihan said the village council has considered installing a set of stairs to help older swimmers into the water.
"It's understandable there's a need for these things, but for a small community to come up with the funding will be difficult," Callihan said.
The newest area pool, now nearly three years old, was built in Williamstown to ADA specifications.
"We designed the pool with a ramp and handrail for people with disabilities or who may be recovering from an illness," said Tom Fenton, who headed the community effort to build the facility.
"We visited other pools with ramps or lifts, but chose to install a ramp that would give people more individual control as they entered the water," he said.
Williamstown Councilwoman Barbara Lewis was also highly involved with the pool effort.
"We put in the ramp to meet ADA requirements," she said. "And we were deemed to be ADA-compliant at that time."
Lewis said she nor Mayor Jean Ford had yet been notified of the new regulations, but the issue would be brought before the town council.
Marietta safety-service director Al Miller said he had learned of the new mandate through the city health department.
"We have run nothing past city council at this time, but the administration has been talking about it and we're thinking the best way to comply would be a portable chair lift at the aquatic center," he said.
"We're trying to plan for the best flexibility and portability at the pool, and that seems to have the least expense in the long run," Miller added.
June 20, 2011
By SAM SHAWVER , Marietta Times
http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/549184/Some-public-pools-face-closure-over-disability-rules.html?nav=5061
MARIETTA - New Americans with Disabilities Act regulations could force some smaller public pools to close next summer.
The new rules, which became law on March 15 of this year, require public pools and spas to provide at least two means for disabled persons to enter the water.
Compliance with the rules is mandated for all public facilities by March 15, 2012.
"The requirement is for a primary and secondary entrance for disabled people to get into the pool," said Mike Bishman, owner of Professional Pool Management LLC, which operates the Marietta Aquatic Center and six other area pools.
"The primary for the aquatic center and Beverly pool is a zero depth entrance ramp, for example," he said. "But now they'll also need a secondary entrance, like a set of portable stairs or a portable lift."
Bishman said the price for a lift, which uses a harness and remote control device to lower a person into the water, may start around $6,000 in addition to shipping costs. He said portable stairs, made of PVC, could cost around $2,200.
But he also noted that some older area pools do not have any type of entry for disabled clients, and by next summer those facilities would require the installation of both a primary and secondary entrance.
"This can really hurt municipalities who will have to spend extra money to be compliant with these new rules," Bishman said. "And some smaller pools may have a hard time budgeting to meet the ADA requirements."
Beverly Councilman Jim Ullman agreed, noting the village has lost about $30,000 on its pool operations over the last two years, and the council had considered not opening the five-year-old facility this summer.
"We've done everything we could to keep it open this year and to reduce our losses," he said. "But it's regulations like this that may close our pool."
Ullman said the Beverly facility does have a zero depth entrance ramp, but no secondary entrance.
"We're researching grants to possibly help us purchase a lift, but have found nothing so far," he said.
"If pools have to close, what's next," Ullman asked, adding that people could head back to area rivers to swim, which would be extremely unsafe.
Mary Callihan, manager at the 1960s-era Lowell pool, was not aware of the new ADA regulation, and noted the village barely breaks even on pool operations each year.
"We just paid more than $900 for a new filter pump motor - there's no money just lying around for us to use on these expenses," she said.
The Lowell pool has no primary nor secondary entrance for disabled folks, although Callihan said the village council has considered installing a set of stairs to help older swimmers into the water.
"It's understandable there's a need for these things, but for a small community to come up with the funding will be difficult," Callihan said.
The newest area pool, now nearly three years old, was built in Williamstown to ADA specifications.
"We designed the pool with a ramp and handrail for people with disabilities or who may be recovering from an illness," said Tom Fenton, who headed the community effort to build the facility.
"We visited other pools with ramps or lifts, but chose to install a ramp that would give people more individual control as they entered the water," he said.
Williamstown Councilwoman Barbara Lewis was also highly involved with the pool effort.
"We put in the ramp to meet ADA requirements," she said. "And we were deemed to be ADA-compliant at that time."
Lewis said she nor Mayor Jean Ford had yet been notified of the new regulations, but the issue would be brought before the town council.
Marietta safety-service director Al Miller said he had learned of the new mandate through the city health department.
"We have run nothing past city council at this time, but the administration has been talking about it and we're thinking the best way to comply would be a portable chair lift at the aquatic center," he said.
"We're trying to plan for the best flexibility and portability at the pool, and that seems to have the least expense in the long run," Miller added.