Exciting news from the ADA Center

After years of struggle, the ADA has finally been amended to improve access at recreational facilities across the country, including golf, playgrounds, amusement rides and more. In addition we're especially excited about the addition of concert ticketing fraud prevention, see "ticketing" below. Learn your rights and start enforcing them!

This JUST in from the Rocky Mountain ADA Center:

1. Revised ADA Regulations Implementing Title II and Title III

On Friday, July 23, 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder signed final regulations revising the Department’s ADA regulations, including its ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The Department has prepared fact sheets identifying the major changes in the rules at http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs2010.htm.

Among the changes that will affect both rules are:

Adoption of the Revised Design Standards – New accessible design standards are established for a variety of recreational facilities, including swimming pools, playgrounds, golf courses, amusement rides, recreational boating facilities, exercise machines and equipment, miniature golf courses and fishing piers; as well as for such public facilities as courthouses, jails and prisons.

Element by Element Safe Harbor – The department is mitigating the cost of design changes by adopting a “safe harbor” under which existing building elements that already comply with the 1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design would not be required to be brought into compliance with the 2010 Standards until the elements were subject to a planned alteration.

Ticketing – The department has added provisions that provide guidance on the sale of tickets for accessible seating, the sale of season tickets, the secondary ticket market, the hold and release of accessible seating to persons other than those who need accessible seating, ticket pricing, prevention of the fraudulent purchase of accessible seating and the ability to purchase multiple tickets when buying accessible seating.

Service Animals – The regulations define “service animal” as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for benefit of an individual with a disability.

Wheelchairs and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices – The amended rules provide a two-tiered approach under which wheelchairs and scooters must be permitted in all areas open to pedestrian use.

Timeshares – The Title III regulation also makes clear that timeshare and condominium properties that operate like hotels are subject to title III, providing guidance about the factors that must be present for a facility that is not an inn, motel, or hotel to qualify as a place of lodging.

Reservations at places of lodging – The Title III regulation includes provisions for reservations made by places of lodging, including requirements for procedures that will allow individuals with disabilities to make reservations for accessible guest rooms during the same hours and in the same manner as other guests.

2. The Justice Department (DOJ) has published four new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) proposals.

These advance notices of proposed rulemakings, published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2010, address the accessibility of websites, the provision of captioning and video description in movies shown in theaters, accessible equipment and furniture, and the ability of 9-1-1 centers to take text and video calls from individuals with disabilities. The Department invites written comments from members of the public. Written comments must be postmarked and electronic comments must be submitted on or before January 24, 2011. In a speech at the Department of Justice's ADA 20^th Anniversary Commemoration, Attorney General Eric Holder also announced that as part of DOJ's new Diversity Management Plan, there will soon be a new position filled called Special Assistant for Disability Resources.

2010 Mtn Resorts Behind the Boat Watersports Camp

July 20-23 with STARS and Adaptive Adventures

Despite some intermittent stormy weather, this week's 5th annual Watersports Camp outdid itself. With double the local participation as well as veterans and visitors from all over Colorado and as far as Idaho, and of course the usual amazing coaching and volunteers, the two days on Bald Eagle Lake were a huge success. In addition, half a dozen of the participants were brand new to wakeboarding and waterskiing including Edward (below) who spends his time between Steamboat and Georgia.

The Watersports camp is the 5th and final camp in the 2010 STARS Adaptive Camp Series lineup in Steamboat, and a great way to end the season with a relaxed yet fun lakeside atmosphere where families and friends can come hang out and watch/photograph the watersporters.

The coaches from Adaptive Adventures are truly amazing at not only introducing these fun sports to newcomers, they are adept at pushing campers to their limits and beyond with new techniques and equipment every year. Local 8 year old Kyle (below) was able to let go of the outriggers this year and cruise the lake independently on a waterski. While Kyle loves skiing Steamboat in the winter, he "could spend all summer waterskiing," he loves it so much.

STARS hopes to add equipment in order to have more events like this one next year so local kids like Kyle CAN waterski all summer!

Today about half the camp members will be floating the Colorado with Colorado River Company to conclude this year's 3-day event.


For more photos check out the event's photos here.

Custom Color Bikin' the 'Boat Adaptive Cycling Camp

STARS' and Steamboat Springs's first handcycling camp was packed with two days of fun on Steamboat Ski Area and in the backcountry area of Dry Lake and Spring Creek.

STARS is still building its equimpent arsenal which will soon include some handcycles of our own, so for this camp we were lucky to have Darol Kubacz of the Freedom for Life Foundation bring four one-off handcycles up from Arizona, and Mau Thompson and Matt Feeney of Adaptive Adventures bring in three road handcycles from Evergreen, CO.

Four local participants and one from Crested Butte along with about ten volunteers got two awesome days of riding in, July 7 and 8. Several knowledgable and enthusiastic local riders helped make the camp a huge success. Longtime camp volunteer Doug Hecker pre-ran our Spring Creek Trail and jumped ahead of the pack to saw a downed tree in half, and even beleed one participant down the steepest grade of the trail.

The weather cooperated perfectly for two sunny days, and we local organizers believe this was easily our funnest camp yet; getting Craig into the backcountry of Steamboat in the summer months was amazing, seeing terrain he hasn't seen in 15 years. Darol, who has brought his one-offs from Tahoe to Miami, says Spring Creek was one of the most beautiful trails he's seen.

A big thanks to all our sponsors locally~ Custom Color, Resort Quest Steamboat, Steamboat Ski Area, Gondola Joe's, Colorado Bagel Company, the Egg and I, Old Town Pub, Steamboat Smokehouse, and Creekside Cafe ~ from all of us at STARS and Adaptive Adventures