The Virginian Pilot
BY- Meyera Oberndorf
July 13, 1996
Contrary to the impression
that may have been created by Alexandria Berger's Another View on July 8, the
city of Virginia Beach takes the concerns of its disabled community very
seriously.
The city, in
partnership with Cellar Door, is addressing the legitimate concerns that have
surfaced since the Virginia Beach Amphitheater was opened.
The facility does
meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Our goal is to
make the Virginia Beach Amphitheater a pleasant experience for all our citizens
to enjoy.
During the development phase of this project, a disabled member of the community was invited to another Cellar Door facility with similar accessibility as the Virginia Beach Amphitheater; no specific issues were raised at that time.
When the Virginia Beach
facility opened, handicapped-accessible seats were provided in the golden
circle, directly below the VIP boxes. We also provided handicapped-accessible
parking near the VIP parking area, which is the nearest to seating. Restrooms
and vending areas also were designed to be accessible.
I would like to
review the actions we are now taking to enhance accessibility:
The disabled
parking area has handicapped-designated parking signs. There is separate
parking for the disabled because parking for the entire area is covered by
gravel, which prevents easy mobility for wheelchairs. The disabled-parking area
is totally paved with asphalt and provides close, easy access in and out of the
facility. This arrangement has a distinct advantage over end-of-lane handicapped
parking spaces. We have also added six disabled-parking spaces next to the
administration and box-office building.
Concession-area
seating (picnic tables) has been modified to accommodate wheelchair users.
Ticket-sale policies
have been revised to allow a disabled ticket purchaser to buy three companion
tickets.
Signs have been
installed to indicate the availability of assistive-listening devices and TDD
machines.
The lawn seating
area is being reviewed and any proposed design changes will encompass all
safety and line-of-sight issues. Accessibility to the landing area at the top
of the hill is currently available, but modifications will need to be made to
provide access to the lawn area via a ramp.
If studies determine
that it is feasible to provide access to the lawn area, then slope ratios on
portions of the lawn will need to be modified in order to prevent line-of-sight
interruption. Slope modifications would also provide necessary safety measures
for disabled patrons using wheelchairs.
The orchestra
seating area has been retrofitted to accept an additional 40
wheelchair-accessible spaces - 20 spaces for each side of the stage area. Two
additional gold-circle sections have been retrofitted to provide 40 additional
unobstructed line-of-sight seats in the first two rows. Section 102 will
continue to provide 40 accessible spaces for disabled patrons and 40 spaces for
nondisabled-companion seating.
We've received
favorable comments from people with disabilities who have attended performances
at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. They have reported that the staff at the
amphitheater went far beyond the call of duty to make them feel welcome and
meet any special needs they had. Staff members also ask patrons what more they
can do to make their visit to the amphitheater a pleasant one.
I continue to work
closely with the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities, a group of
volunteers dedicated to improving the quality of life for citizens with
disabilities. The committee has been in place for more than 20 years and has
been recognized as an outstanding volunteer program.
The city of
Virginia Beach has been working diligently to ensure that people with
disabilities are given fair and equal treatment. We continually strive to
improve the services we offer and are always open to suggestions that are
constructive to this effort.
MEMO: Meyera
Oberndorf is mayor of Virginia Beach.