New Playground at St. Louis County Park Accommodates Children with Disabilities

Park Features Stainless Steel Slides and Rubberized Surfaces

During my many years in the restaurant business, I went through quite a few remodels to accommodate the Americans With Disabilities Act. Sometimes the modifications were simple, just a matter of replacing a restroom sign with one that had Braille on it, while other times required some major renovation. Wheelchair ramps had to be built, curbs leveled, and restrooms widened. I always thought that it was a good idea for everyone to have access to the restaurant, even though at times it was a hassle and made a good little pinch on my profit and loss. Then, a few months ago I broke my leg. I also have a problem with my inner ear and don’t function very well on crutches. Essentially, I was confined to a wheelchair for about 2 months until my leg healed. During that time I gained a newfound admiration and respect for those whose condition requires them to live their lives in a chair. It was the things that most of us take for granted everyday that were the most frustrating. Things like going down the stairs to get the mail. (This was finally accomplished on one leg, but it seemed to take forever.) I couldn’t drive for a while, so I had to rely on someone to take me to the grocery store or the pharmacy. There was a restaurant that wasn’t accessible and I got stuck trying to push the wheelchair over a door threshold. Since my condition was temporary, I wasn’t eligible for Call-A-Ride, handicapped parking, or some valet service. How do I take the trash out? About the same time I read in the paper about the Missouri legislature slashing funding for Medicaid and people chaining their wheelchairs to the doors of the capital building in protest. Some of the cuts have been restored, but the battle continues.