Prescott Pool Needs New Lift

PRESCOTT - A feder- ally mandated enforcement of the Americans with Dis- abilities Act (ADA) poses a big problem for the Prescott Joint Park and Recreation District and Prescott pool users.

The new mandate re- quires public pools to install a lift so swimmers with disabilities can use the pool. The Prescott pool has a lift in place now, but the new man- date requires the lift be one that a user can operate alone and without assistance, unlike the lift currently in- stalled at the pool.

At a recent joint district meeting, district manager Len Conlee reported some bids to give the board an idea of how much the lift would cost. The price tag ranges between $5,500 and $7,500 depending on the lift's por- tability. Conlee also reported that the wading pool slope would have to be adjusted for easier access.

District Commissioner Patsy Adams said the stress Prescott is facing also plagues other cities across the country.

"It's going to be hard for some places to do," Adams said. "Right now we're in the process of working through it."

Adams said the district has to have a plan in place by the time the pool opens for the summer. She said a plan and more decisions will advance at the next board meeting, Wednesday, March 13.

The Prescott pool is 55 years old and, Adams said, was originally part of the Prescott School District.

According to the ADA website, ADA.gov, existing pools built before 2010 must be accessible only when it is "readily achievable."

" Readily achievable means that providing access is easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense," according to ADA.gov.

Lifts installed in pools that do not meet new ADA requirements must be up- dated to meet the standards, the website goes on to say.

At the district meeting, Conlee also reported that the district can claim financial hardship but that it is unlike- ly they will be able to avoid the cost of the lift updates.

For more information about pool lift, title II and title III requirements, visit ada.gov/pools_ 2010.htm or ada.gov/qa_ existingpools_ titleIII.htm.