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Show f i WEEKLY REFLEX-DAV- IS NEWS JOURNAL, MAY 6, 1976 t j Mobility Restricted Along with laughter, a tone of seriousness was noted when members of the Layton City Council, John Baker, Lynn Wood, Bob Austad, Mayor Glen Shields, and City Building Inspector Ladd Scoffield took a tour of Layton City in wheelchairs last Thursday afternoon They found obstacles that prevent the handicapped from being independent. men were restricted to the wheelchairs and were given a guided tour These f.ve by a group called, "Unrestricted Mobility for Aged and Handicapped" (UMAH). This group is made up of parents and handicapped children and handicapped individuals who are concerned and working to make local officials aware of the problems of the handicapped Mrs. Gwen Peters, chairman of the group, stated that she was thrilled with the reaction and cooperation of the city officials. Before they had even left the city office building the officials found that it would be hard for a person in a wheelchair to even get into the building to pay a water bill. They also found the restroom facilities were in need of different items to accommodate the handicapped The tour took them to different businesses in the city starting with city hall, the Job Employment Service, grocery stores, banks, eating establishments, doctor and dentist offices, and clothing stores; all establishments that should be equipped to serve the handicapped as well as the rest of the public. As the tour progressed, the guides who were assisting the officials said there was a constant stream of comments on changes that needed to be made. After waiting several minutes to cross Gentile Street and finally having to have one of the guides, not handicapped, lead them across and stop all traffic, the councilmen agreed that a crosswalk was needed, Mrs. Peters said The new Layton Park Plaza that houses Job Service and doctor and dentist offices they could not get into at all. The doors on many of the businesses are impossible for a handicapped person to open As stated by one of the councilmen, they are just too heavy to be opened by a person in a wheelchair. The electric doors in the local grocery stores are very accommodating The wheelchair victims also found it impossible to reach Jhe meat in the. grocery stores and., .. felt that a service bell that could be reached from the chair might bearrarrswer to that problem Councilmen stated that there were many very simple items generally not too costly that could make help in making mobility in the wheelchairs easier. Some listed were, bars along walls in restrooms, service bells, ramps instead of stairs, etc. I think we discourage older people and handicapped people," was a comment made by Councilman Austad. Mrs. Peters said that she felt this tour was a real eye opener She stated that their goal "is to give the officials complete understanding of the heavy needs of the handicapped people to move freely throughout the community and to let these men know that the handicapped are treated as second class citizens by some people " In order to accomplish our purpose we need total committment and community effort," Mrs Peters said UMAH has succeeded in getting the Davis County Council of Governments to establish a committee to insure guidelines restricting architectural barriers Mrs. Peters said the law requires construction of public buildings to include provisions for the handicapped. It also applies when more than 50 percent of a structure is remodeled Mrs. Peters stressed their appreciation of our city officials and their fine sportsmanship in handling the situations She said she felt sure that after experiencing some of the difficulties that they would follow through on necessary changes A tour is being scheduled with the Clearfield City Council in the near future but no date has been set. dc able-bodi- u h i t i' 1 -- Tour members begin their departure from Layton City offices Councilman Lynn Wood looks to Ernest Machell, Layton paraplegic, for guidance after getting the first set of wheels over the curb Mayor Glen Shields has yet to begin his descent Number 2 -- Ladd Scoffield, city building inspector, negotiating the curb that places the city offices on an "island". Some thought that it is unusually high but were informed by the guides that Number it is a standard curb Number 3 Mayor Shields and Councilman Wood make it across Gentile after guide Gwenda Peters stopped traffic "I'm sure some of these cars would have stopped for us but don't know which ones" commented Mr Wood Number 4 After the hazard of Gentile, Mayor Shields found that the Layton Park Plaza was inaccessible without assistance Number 5 Ladd Scoffield finds that his wheelchair just won t go through the checkout stand as the sign "Exit Through Checkout Stands requests Number 6 Councilman Bob Austad finds that opening and holding a door while also propelling a wheelchair requires some manipulation -- -- -- NUMBER 4 NUMBER 3 j |