Rolling with Sarah

My father and I recently took a trip to visit Fort Henry in Kingston, Ontario. I want to concentrate on the good accessibility and make this site a positive influence, so I will focus on what changes could occur to make it a more accessible experience. One thing they did have was an abundance of accessible parking, although it was a bit of a hike to the front entrance. Though we didn’t eat there, the restaurant did look as though a wheelchair could at least get in the door, and the patio had a ramp.

Now comes the part where some improvements could be made. The doors to each of the rooms with exhibits had  large thresholds that I couldn’t have managed to get past had I been alone. A simple threshold ramp could easily remedy this. One of the main attractions of the Fort is the spectacular views from the top. I was unable to see any of them as there was no way to access the second story other than a rather steep set of stairs. To fix this, my suggestion would be to take it virtual. A webcam that’s feed can be seen from the ground would go a long way in improving the experience for those who can’t climb the stairs. It would give a real-time view of the surroundings which could benefit anyone with mobility issues, a fear of heights, balance issues, or many other conditions. I would give extra points if they could make it controllable by guests so they can look in any direction they please.

Finally, there was a ramp connecting the two rooms of the giftshop. It was extremely steep and I required a caregiver to navigate it. Not the best for independence. Lengthening the run would make it much safer. Truth be told, I was a little disappointed in my experience but hopefully with more awareness places like this will take our suggestions as we work together to make the world a more accessible place. Loved the freshly baked bread though!