Can you imagine what fear a trip to a state park struck in a physically disabled person in Florida 25 years ago?
What was a kick for most people was dread and hassle for those confined to a wheelchair. In most state parks there were few amenities that gave them a sense of safety or ease of access to the natural joys Florida parks invariably offer.
All that changed in 1990 with the advent of the Americans with Disabilities Act. So, what good news to learn Monday that the state Department of Environmental Protection has launched a year-long celebration of 25 years of the ADA in Florida.
The ADA was a groundbreaking law. A very big deal. Especially for those of us who remember life without it.
Though it's true, as it claims, the Florida Park Service has offered inclusive opportunities and services since its inception in 1935 -- everything from fishing piers and boating tours to boardwalks and canoe-kayak launches -- the "opportunities" weren't uniform, certainly.
In 1982 our family was enjoying a day out in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Jupiter, one of the state's largest parks, when we witnessed an elderly woman lose control of her wheelchair and tumble off a bank into the Loxahatchee River. Luckily, our young son David was in the water in an instant, hauling the woman to safety.
She had been left at the riverside while her grandchildren were on a hike.
That incident sounds like a rarity, but sadly, it wasn't. For the most part, people who weren't ambulatory didn't attempt to visit one of Florida's natural places. Too many accidents happened, all well-publicized in local newspapers.
It's a good thing to remember how far Florida parks have come.
Gov. Rick Scott proclaimed last Sunday, July 26, ADA Awareness Day in Florida to honor the law's 25th anniversary. Parks across the state kicked off the celebration by displaying "Access for All" banners and posters, and staff who have completed accessibility training are proudly wearing "Access for All" uniform pins, according to a DEP press statement.
“Florida’s state parks offer something for everybody,” said Florida Park Service Director Donald Forgione. DEP’s Florida Park Service is highlighting accessible amenities at five state parks each month over the next year through social media. (See the Park Service's website.)
Agency for Persons with Disabilities Director Barbara Palmer said in a written statement, “So many wonderful changes have occurred because of the ADA to help individuals with disabilities to be a part of the fabric of America. It is wonderful that Florida State Parks is highlighting five locations with accessible features which provide greater access to individuals with disabilities.”
The Park Service's achievements to make Florida's natural treasures accessible to all are an asset for residents, of course; but they are also a spectacular bonus for the 97.3 million tourists who visited the Sunshine State in 2014. No wonder Florida tourism is the envy of every other state in the nation.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
