Help Kirkland’s Parks Be More Accessible For All
Published on March 10, 2022
Media Contact:
David Wolbrecht
Communications Program Manager
dwolbrecht@kirklandwa.gov
425-587-3021
KIRKLAND, Wash. – The City of Kirkland Parks & Community Services has published an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan for parks and park facilities in Kirkland. This plan will help Kirkland’s parks be more accessible through guidance of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The City welcomes feedback on this plan until April 8, 2022.
“Kirkland prioritizes being an inclusive and equitable community where everyone is respected, valued, and has a sense of belonging,” said Kirkland Councilmember Amy Falcone. “This transition plan is a critical step on our journey towards better serving the needs of our community by eliminating barriers in our park system. We invite feedback from our community to help shape the plan’s priorities and help us get this right.”
The ADA Transition Plan identifies and prioritizes current accessibility changes needed for participation with parks and park facilities, such as parking stalls, curb ramps, paths of travel, and facilities. It also provides a schedule to address issues and defines procedures for dealing with future issues.
The ADA Evaluation and Transition Plan is part of the City’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan, for which the City has been engaging the community since June 2021. The updated PROS Plan will identify a series of recommendations for existing parks, recreational facilities, programs, and other services. These recommendations will guide decision making and investments over the next five to ten years.
The ADA Evaluation and Transition Plan for Kirkland’s parks and park facilities was performed by a consultant, Bureau Veritas. They used standard methods and procedures for assessing compliance with Title II of the ADA, as well as applicable state and local requirements. Bureau Veritas provided accessibility assessment reports for 52 parks and facilities, which are available in the Transition Plan document.
“We are excited to create a formal ADA Transition Plan,” said Lynn Zwaagstra, Director of Parks and Community Services. “Not only will it identify existing and future accessibility needs, this plan will be a record of accessibility facility standards and will continue to provide mandated ADA design criteria for future parks and park facility projects.”
Public feedback on the plan will be accepted from March 10 through April 8, 2022, during a 30-day comment period and will then be factored into the final ADA Transition Plan.
- Copies of the ADA Transition Plan are available on the City’s website. Additional print copies are available at the two King County Public Libraries in Kirkland.
- Feedback on the ADA Transition Plan may be submitted online from March 10 through April 8, 2022, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BDDPW6W
For more information on the ADA Evaluation and Transition Plan and the Play It Forward planning effort, please visit: https://kirklandwa.gov/playitforward
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