How to Make Your Public Park More Inclusive With ADA Furniture
Everyone in your community deserves to enjoy the benefits of being in a public park, including those with disabilities. That's why it's so important to include ADA compliant furniture in your plans for any park or outdoor space. With ADA furniture, people who use wheelchairs or require other physical accommodations can enjoy the great outdoors as much as anyone.
According to the CDC, one in four Americans (roughly 61 million) live with disabilities. If you want to create a safe and inclusive green space that is accessible to everyone, consider ADA furniture for your ADA compliant parks. This article will walk you through some accessibility designs you can implement into your public park and the ADA compliant furniture available from Bright Idea Shops.
What Does It Mean for a Park to Be ADA Compliant?
An ADA compliant park model is key to ensuring everyone can enjoy your outdoor space by following ADA guidelines. When you are looking to make your park or outdoor space ADA compliant, you must consider every facility or amenity in the space along with the elements within each.. For example, if you are looking at a park picnic pavilion, the pavilion itself is a facility, and a picnic table within that pavilion is an element. ADA compliance requires both the facility and all elements in said facility to be designed to meet ADA requirements.
In addition, there needs to be a compliant route to and from the facility.
What Is ADA Compliant Furniture?
The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 sets guidelines for public places to ensure that everyone can enjoy and use those spaces, no matter their physical capabilities. There are many things to keep in mind, but the key guideline is to ensure that people with any physical disabilities can access the same facilities and features as everyone else. That means ensuring inclusive seating space through ADA compliant furniture.
Guidelines for Making Common Outdoor Elements ADA Compliant
Different types of outdoor elements will have different guidelines regarding ADA compliance and ADA furniture. Below are some tips to help you as you design or redesign your outdoor space.
Tables, Benches and Grilling Areas:
There are specific ADA table requirements and guidelines for ADA compliant park benches.
- Consider proper spacing for a wheelchair when designing the facility.
- Grilling and work surfaces must be at the appropriate height.
- If you include picnic tables, a percentage of them are required to be ADA compliant picnic tables, manufactured with appropriate space for a wheelchair to pull up to them.
- When adding park benches, leave a 30" by 48" clear space next to them.
Tennis Courts, Ball Fields and Recreational Facilities:
Any park, court or field must have an accessible path. If you are designing a recreational facility, you'll need a stable, slip-resistant path to connect each of the components.
Swimming Pools
You need to provide a pool lift or sloped entry for all swimming pools.
Benefits of Implementing ADA Compliant Furniture
Implementing ADA compliant furniture in your outdoor space will have a number of benefits.
- Meet Everyone's Needs – By incorporating ADA compliant furniture, you will make your outdoor space much more inclusive and comfortable for your whole community. People will enjoy your park or outdoor space and be more likely to visit and use the space.
- Enhance the Aesthetic Appeal of Your Space – ADA furniture can be beautiful, durable and functional just like any other outdoor furniture. With the right ADA compliant furniture, you can enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of your entire outdoor area.
- Promote Inclusiveness – Adding ADA compliant furniture will make your outdoor community spaces perfect for all kinds of outdoor events and activities, giving those living with disabilities places they can feel comfortable spending time with their families and friends.
Discover How Bright Idea Shops Can Help Meet Your ADA Furniture Needs
Our ADA furniture offerings feature innovative designs along with unmatched quality and highly competitive prices, so you can create an outdoor space that the whole community can enjoy and you can be proud of. Browse our selection of outdoor ADA compliant furniture today.
