arizona's hidden accommodations
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John Muir once described American parks as “fountains of life” - where people could go to be rejuvenated and refreshed through nature. Phoenix area residents have tens of thousands of acres of municipal parks and mountain preserves at their disposal.
Residents can climb Camelback and get a 360-degree view of the Valley from its highest point. Or they can bike through Papago Park, taking in the Sonoran landscapes and buttes. Kids can socialize and exercise on park playgrounds. Mac Garrison, a Houston native, read about Papago Park’s Hole-in-the-Rock trail on TripAdvisor and thought he’d make the quarter-mile hike one Saturday afternoon. While he admires a view of the entire Phoenix Valley, his wife and son wait for him in the parking lot. His son Josh can’t make the hike - he uses a wheelchair, and the hike isn’t accessible. Many Americans and Arizonans experience the same problems. Whether limping on foot or wheeling around in a chair, manifestations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) spread to parks across the country, and according to Deanna Zuppan, the Parks and Recreation supervisor for the City of Scottsdale, the trend of accessibility is becoming more prominent and more prioritized. Some cities are building playgrounds that all children should be able to access. Others are creating sports programs adapted for wheelchair-bound players. All of these measures are what disability advocates call adaptive recreation or adaptive sports. Many parks in Arizona are improving their disability access, whether through paving trails or installing modern play equipment. While most people laud the efforts to create inclusive recreation, these initiatives are not without criticism and financial difficulty. |
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People with disabilitiesDisability Advocates throughout the Valley of the Sun advocate for adaptive recreation and inclusive parks and activities. |
park usersPeople who regularly use parks, including mountain bike paths, believe paving paths is beneficial: it actually makes it safer for all. |
park officialsCity Parks Officials, who are responsible for maintaining the parks, believe that parks are for everybody's enjoyment. |
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Arizona is famous for its desert parks, mountains, and hiking trails. But most of these are inaccessible to users with disabilities. Come with Scott Bourque, Chelsea Chiapuzio, and Frank Kane and learn about what some people in Arizona are doing to ensure that parks are accessible to all. We speak to park users, public officials, and concerned citizens about park accessibility issues in the Valley of the Sun.
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