The lack of ramps and handicap parking at both the Student Recreation Center and Patty Center has become a dilemma at UAF.

“The handicap parking for the SRC is located over thirty meters from the door with no good wheel chair access in between,” stated Jeff Benowitz, who no longer considers himself “officially” handicapped, but remembers struggling with a leg ailment that forced him to use crutches.

“In winter”, Benowitz said, “this issue is even greater because of ice forming on the handicap access ramp outside of the SRC, due to poor roof construction and drainage planning.”

In other words, it’s going to become dangerous once winter sets in. Aside from the ice, which will impair many of those using wheel chairs, the temperature will have dropped. Where non-handicapped citizens are given the opportunity to dart back and forth between buildings, the handicapped citizens have to struggle to get out of the freezing weather, even if they’re dressed appropriately.

“There is parking very close to the handicap ramp, but none is designated for handicap parking,” Benowitz explained. He also pointed out that, though the able-bodied can easily take on sports such as skiing in order to obtain exercise, the handicapped citizens will have to resort to the indoor gym, which is unfairly difficult for them to access.

Jenny Barrett, of facility services explained, “The small parking area closest to the SRC does not have handicap parking because we are trying to keep vehicles out of the fire lane. However, northwest of the Patty Center we do have handicap parking because it has an accessible path leading up to the building.”

Another testimony came from Daniel Jordan, coach of the rifle team, who has found it increasingly frustrating to access the Patty Center, due to his restriction to a wheelchair.

“The only issue right now,” he says, “is that they have the ramp torn out from the Patty Center. You have to go behind the building in order to get inside.” He added, “There’s a ramp from the basement leading to upstairs, but that’s the only way to get around.” There are also plans to put an elevator in the Patty Center, but the project is not yet completed.

Both Jordan and Benowitz protested to the lack of handicap bathrooms, stating that more were needed in both the SRC and Patty Center. Benowitz pointed out that the paper towel rolls in the bathroom of the SRC were out of reach for many handicap citizens, and that he was told that something would be done about it, but so far, such an event has not yet occurred.

A handicapped freshman, Jessica Allard, who struggles with a spinal condition talked about how she felt about handicap parking at the SRC.

“We had to park all the way at the dang back! It sucks.” She said, referring to a lack of handicap parking, which could often be the case, since there are only a few parking spaces about 90 feet from the entrance to the SRC.

In a forwarded e-mail, Martin Klein, director of transportation and parking, stated that his department had added new parking spaces before the fall.

“ADA requires that there be an “accessible path” from any accessible [handicap] parking space. Unfortunately, there is not an accessible path to the new parking area, so were unable to place accessible spaces in that area this fall.”

In other words, handicap parking spaces were laid out before the SRC, but because they were installed last-minute for the upcoming fall, the workers were unable to create both an accessible path and parking spaces closer to the SRC that these paths could lead to.

However, Klein also states that the division of operations “anticipates adding an accessible path to [the new parking spaces] this spring and has laid out that lot so as to allow placement of accessible spaces fairly easily.”

“Being handicapped is not regulation on a piece of paper or a building code plan,” said Benowitz, “it’s a reality that involves black ice, deep snow, and long journeys at 50 below.”