A Handicapped Parking Space
Richard Roderick
April 02, 2026
To the Editor:
It was ironic that the West Newbury Hall’s Strawberry Pancake Breakfast billed as a benefit “to install an elevator to make the hall accessible to all” had no provisions for handicapped parking. I have an ADA parking placard. Unfortunately the parking attendant could not have cared less and was more interested in continuing his conversation he was having instead of trying to find a solution. The dismissive excuse “that’s what happens when you get an unexpected snowstorm” (about 3 inches by the way) did not impress me. I left and went to Jan’s Family Diner in Fairlee and parked in one of the 2 ADA spaces near the door.
A person does not need to be in a wheelchair to benefit from a handicapped parking space. A person doesn’t have to be “old” nor “look like” they need to use the space. As the population ages not only will more spaces will be needed, but it makes business sense too. Needing an ADA parking space doesn’t mean the person is poor. People with disabilities come from all income brackets. A check with local stores and on line indicates signs cost less than $50. One local store had signs for sale but ironically didn’t have one in their parking lot.
Having “plenty” of spaces near the door (what ever that means) doesn’t mean a designated space (s) isn’t needed.
Thank you to the businesses that have signs and thank you in advance to businesses who are getting ready to “spruce up” their exteriors and parking lots this spring and will include designated spaces. And thank you to the West Newbury Hall for their plans to install an elevator.
While it is not always easy, possible or inexpensive to install a ramp, simple things like grab bars and railings can help. Accessability ramps ideally should be using the same door as everyone else and not be relagated to the back door. A shout out to Copies and More for a grab bar and to Snoots Dog Grooming and Ellie’s Gardens for installing a ramp when they remodeled the Burnham Shoe building in Wells River
Municipalities, now is the time to get your polling places accessable for the November elections. Voters deserve to be able to vote in-person on election day if they want.
More information can be found at https://www.ada.gov/topics/parking/
Richard M Roderick.
Wells River, Vt.
It was ironic that the West Newbury Hall’s Strawberry Pancake Breakfast billed as a benefit “to install an elevator to make the hall accessible to all” had no provisions for handicapped parking. I have an ADA parking placard. Unfortunately the parking attendant could not have cared less and was more interested in continuing his conversation he was having instead of trying to find a solution. The dismissive excuse “that’s what happens when you get an unexpected snowstorm” (about 3 inches by the way) did not impress me. I left and went to Jan’s Family Diner in Fairlee and parked in one of the 2 ADA spaces near the door.
A person does not need to be in a wheelchair to benefit from a handicapped parking space. A person doesn’t have to be “old” nor “look like” they need to use the space. As the population ages not only will more spaces will be needed, but it makes business sense too. Needing an ADA parking space doesn’t mean the person is poor. People with disabilities come from all income brackets. A check with local stores and on line indicates signs cost less than $50. One local store had signs for sale but ironically didn’t have one in their parking lot.
Having “plenty” of spaces near the door (what ever that means) doesn’t mean a designated space (s) isn’t needed.
Thank you to the businesses that have signs and thank you in advance to businesses who are getting ready to “spruce up” their exteriors and parking lots this spring and will include designated spaces. And thank you to the West Newbury Hall for their plans to install an elevator.
While it is not always easy, possible or inexpensive to install a ramp, simple things like grab bars and railings can help. Accessability ramps ideally should be using the same door as everyone else and not be relagated to the back door. A shout out to Copies and More for a grab bar and to Snoots Dog Grooming and Ellie’s Gardens for installing a ramp when they remodeled the Burnham Shoe building in Wells River
Municipalities, now is the time to get your polling places accessable for the November elections. Voters deserve to be able to vote in-person on election day if they want.
More information can be found at https://www.ada.gov/topics/parking/
Richard M Roderick.
Wells River, Vt.
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