When it’s time to choose a venue for your event, accessibility may not be the first consideration. (Sadly “cost” is usually first on the list.) However, choosing a more accessible facility may save effort in the long run. Keep these elements in mind as you look for a site.
No site will be perfect. But when you do find flaws, make a note of them so that you can a) inform your attendees about them and b) mitigate them where possible.
Where to start looking? Consider consulting with any local disability advocacy groups; they may have a list of venues which are more accessible. Your state, city or county may also have information (via the Mayor’s Office on Disability or similar offices) on available venues which meet ADA standards. Remember that the ADA is a bare minimum, and that many older buildings (built before 1990) may not be compliant for historical or cost reasons. The public offices may also be able to tell you if a venue has a history of ADA complaints.
If you have an accessibility adviser on your staff, this is a great time to ask for their assistance. If you don’t, you may have a mobility-impaired member of staff who might be willing to help with a site survey. If not, there’s still a lot you can do. The venues themselves should be able to tell you how ADA-compliant they have, and what services they can offer.
Before you really choose a facility, have a look at the local area. Is there public transit? (Many disabled people cannot drive, or rely on public transport because of mobility needs.) Is the area walkable? (Local real estate ratings may give you a “walkability” rating.) Are there sidewalks, and are they a bumpy mess? Are they ramped and marked with tactile pavers? Are there crosswalks and street lights? Is there parking available for those who do drive and does that parking include space for ramp vans (which can be taller than the height limit on some garages) and adequate disabled parking? Look for the nearest drugstore and grocery, and make sure those are available in the local guide as well as restaurants.
If your local area is prone to extreme weather or natural disasters, keep these in mind while you are planning. Even non-disabled users may want to know if it’s likely to be snowing or at risk of a tornado when they arrive, but these circumstances can affect disabled visitors more particularly. Air pollution (from wildfires or traffic), extreme heat or cold, and power outages are also important factors to be aware of. Ask the venue about its heating and cooling system, and its ventilation.
The facility itself should, theoretically, be able to tell you if it is ADA compliant, where it fails compliance, and where certain facilities are (such as the disabled parking area, accessible bathrooms, and so on). Ask the facility if they have a site survey available and when it was updated. If they don’t have one and don’t know these answers, that may be a warning sign, especially if the building was constructed before 1990.
Does the venue include any ADA technology? This can range from a wheelchair lift to a LOOP hearing system. Where these exist, ask the venue if they are in good working order. Make sure elevators and lifts are working, and ask if they have on-site staff or contractors for assistive technology that’s already installed (like a LOOP system in auditoriums).
The “accessible path of travel” is a term for the physically accessible way that someone will traverse the space, for example, from the disabled parking spaces to the auditorium, or from the sleeping rooms, to the elevator, to the ballroom (but not the stairs). This path must be level or not too steeply sloped, and not blocked by furniture or other non-permanent items. Ask the venue about the wheelchair path to and from the entrance, venue, exit, all meeting rooms, and to the elevators, ramps, and lifts. Check to see if these areas have been used for storage or are blocked off, and ask to have them cleared by your event. (And when you set up furniture for your event, make sure you don’t put exhibitor tables, chairs, etc in these spaces.) If the “accessible path” from one area to another takes much longer than the path that able-bodied traffic will take (for example, most traffic will take an escalator up one floor in three to five minutes, but it takes 10 minutes to get to the elevator), keep this in mind when planning for attendees to travel between events, and leave enough time. Carpeting, slopes, and crowds will all slow the passage of someone with mobility needs, and you may wish to place chairs for resting on if your attendees will travel a long way between events. You may also want signage to assist your attendees in finding the accessible routes.
Quick ADA checks: the absolute minimum width for a manual wheelchair to pass is 32 inches, and should ideally be 36 inches. Bring a measuring tape with you and double-check door and passage width. How heavy are the doors? Are there automatic door-opening buttons, and do they work? (These are not required by the ADA, but are very convenient.)
Are there enough accessible bathroom stalls, and how far away are they? Are there bathrooms that can accommodate an assistant? Can the bathrooms be made gender-free?
For hotels, ask about the ADA sleeping rooms, and what accommodations they offer. Can the hotel loan equipment such as a shower chair? Are there roll-in showers? Is there a room with visual alarms and doorbells? Ask for some of the ADA rooms to be reserved as part of your room block, and be prepared to tell your attendees what facilities are available. Ask about refrigerators (for medication).
Remember, again, that the ADA is a minimum. If your event attracts more than the usual number of mobility-impaired persons, you may need to ask for extra parking, an accessible shuttle bus, or more seating in certain areas. If you are expecting a great many attendees with sensory disabilities, you may need to request temporary Braille signage or large print signage.
Consider sensory needs in the space as well. Is the area very noisy, and does it echo? Is it difficult to hear? Are there ways to mitigate the noise in crowded areas? Does the hotel use fragrance dispensers? (These can be a trigger for asthma and migraine attacks, and for chemically sensitive persons.) Are the lights in the rooms you plan to use glaring or reflecting off of surfaces such as a conference table? Many of these can be mitigated, but you’ll want to write them into your plan.
Can your food plan handle common dietary restrictions and allergies? Are there multiple restaurants or stores nearby that can serve the needs of people with dietary restrictions? If you are providing food with an event, is there a way for a person to attend the event and decline food (by paying the equivalent amount, for example)?
Remember, no venue is perfect. Do be prepared to inform your attendees about the venue’s mitigations, hazards, and issues, and to offer assistance where possible. Clear communication of accessibility issues – before the event – will help your attendees decide whether to attend and what assistance to request.
Anne for Access: making events accessible to all 