Disabled to Get Better Access to Parks

July 13, 2005

July 13, 2005 Los Angeles Times www.latimes.com

By Ammara Durrani, Times Staff Writer

State parks officials and disability rights groups announced Tuesday

an agreement aimed at improving access for disabled visitors at more

than 270 parks and recreational areas across California.

The agreement, announced in Oakland, resolves two lawsuits charging

that disabled people were unfairly denied access to state

recreational facilities.

" We are thrilled, " said Larry Paradis, executive director of the

Oakland-based Disability Rights Advocates and lead counsel for the

plaintiffs. " It's a real landmark in terms of opening the whole

outdoors to people with disabilities. "

Access will be improved to all of the parks' educational,

interpretive and recreational programs, such as boating, camping and

cycling.

" The plan is simple: make parks more accessible to more citizens, "

said Roy Stearns, deputy director for communications for the

Department of Parks and Recreation. He added that over the last four

years his department has spent about $30 million to bring about such

improvements, and that work continues in about 30 parks.

But he also said the department manages more than 3,000 miles of

trails, some extremely rugged that may never be accessible to the

disabled.

Paradis, who has used a wheelchair for the last 20 years, stressed

that many recreational activities are " absolutely realistic " for

disabled people.

" Last year, I went bike riding and kayaking in the San Francisco Bay

area, " he said.

The state maintains a website that lists parks already designed to

accommodate the needs of some disabled visitors:

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