For those looking for a follow up on my “ID Please” blog, here is the latest status. I composed an email to someone who was spear heading modifications in that particular building. I received no response. I gave it a week, still no response. Next, I sent an email to the Diversity and Inclusion Lead. He responded quickly, on the same day and cc’d the head of real estate and the executive sponsor for people with different abilities. They were going to look into the issues and get back to me. I was incredibly hopeful!
In my dream world, I imagined that the next time I entered this building, a new handicap entrance would be on the left side of the building, closer to the handicap parking and the other handicap entrance would no longer require an ID. Well, that didn’t exactly happen. They did remove the requirement for an ID to use the existing handicap entrance. That had been installed in error when the security system was updated. Yeah!! Wonderful!! Very, very pleased with that.
I was not happy that they were not considering adding a handicap entrance to the left side of the building. There are emergency exist doors located there that could be enhanced to be handicap accessible.
Below are excerpts from my follow up email …..
Thank you again for the quick response. I am extremely happy that you are fixing the security issue with the handicap entrance. That is wonderful! But, I must admit that I am disappointed and still frustrated that more cannot be done with a handicap entrance being on the other side. Can we make two entrances?
I have seen most individuals with a disability – those with a walker, a cane, a limp or wheelchair, park in the lot to the left of the building. It is inconvenient for those with a disability to cross in front of the other entrances and the stream of individuals coming up from the garage, to enter the building. Plus, if there is an issue that requires assistance, they are farther away from the security desk and not in their line of sight. It is not an overly welcoming or inclusive set up.
Just some things to consider for possible future adjustments.
Even as I walked out of the building that evening, there was a young man with crutches exiting the building. He moved quickly on his crutches, existing through the handicap entrance and then crossing through all the people now exiting the building. He made his way to the handicap parking. He made it through the obstacle course.
Finding Abilities 