Back in April I wrote a column titled, Everybody Out of the
Pool. It detailed the new
Americans With Disabilities Act regulations for public-access pools, Jacuzzis
and hot tubs. The new guidelines, which
went into effect back in May of this year, mandate that these facilities have
permanent pool lifts installed to give access to our disabled citizens. That
includes hotel and Motel pools and spas.
The cost for installation of the chair lifts was estimated
at $5,000 to $10,000 per unit, but some estimates went even higher than that.
Well, on my trip last week I actually saw my first examples
of the new chair lift device. They were at a comfort Inn in Hillsville,
Virginia. The hotel has a pool and a
hot tub, so two units were installed, one for each. Notably, I didn’t see anyone using the chair lift.
I wish now that I had taken a picture of the chair lift, as
it would have precluded my need to describe it to you. It is a metal stand
about 5 feet high, bolted to the floor at the edge of the pool or tub, with a
waterproof chair attached. The chair faces at a 90-degree angle to the body of
water, but swivels to suspend the occupant over the water to be hydraulically
lowered into it. The process can be
reversed for egress.
I must say that it is a nice apparatus, and I’d like to see
it in operation someday, though I have my doubts as to how many people will
actually use it—just my opinion, you know.
The reason I wrote this particular column was twofold: I wanted to follow up on the earlier one to
let you know that the new ADA law is being enforced, more slowly than was
originally mandated, however. I also
wanted to tell you that I stayed at that same hotel about a year ago for $20.00
less than this stay.
I cannot prove that the increase in price was due solely to
the added expense to the hotel owners of two $10,000 chair lifts, but I can
speculate that it was a contributing factor. And in this anemic economy, with
hotel chains begging for guests, the last thing we need is an increase in the
cost of your stay.
I have no gripe with disabled persons, and Lord knows there
are a lot of disabled vets who have defended us overseas recently for whom I
give daily thanks. However, I just
don’t think there will be a noticeable increase in the number of disabled
people choosing to use the hotel pool & spa facilities now that they are
equipped with these expensive aids.
Please prove me wrong so that I can justify paying the
increased rates caused by the new law.
