Hotels now required to have pool lifts

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Imagine going to a swimming pool and not being able to get in the pool because the pool is not equipped with handicap accessible entry.

ADA Consultants of Indiana's principal consultant David Meihls knows this feeling all too well.

"For years, I've taken my family on vacation and spent money on hotels and not been able to swim with my family," said Meihls.

That won't be the case much longer. Several new ADA amendments will go into effect for many areas on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Those areas include hotels, boat docks, swimming facilities, golf courses and playgrounds.

One such amendment includes requiring all hotel pools and spas to be properly equipped with a permanent chair lift. A new amendment Meihls said he's been waiting for.

"The days of having a pool with no accessibility features and no way for a person who's disabled to be able to enjoy that pool, those days are no more," said Meihls.

The new requirements were published in September 2010, but weren't clarified by the Department of Justice until about a month ago. Some local hotel managers said this left little time for many hotels in the Lafayette area to get the lifts on time. In fact, many said when they tried to order the chair lifts, they were told they would be back ordered for several weeks.

Four Points by Sheraton Guest services manager Nate Cummings said they did get a chair lift about a month and a half ago. He said they have already had to use it.

"We actually just used it last weekend," said Cummings. "We had a fairly large group in with a significant amount of wheelchairs."

Cummings said the lift was a success and the guests really appreciated it. Most lifts run between $15,000 to $20,000. An investment Cummings said is not only now required, but well worth it.

"It's definitely a good rule," said Cummings. "It's better for everybody's guests. When you can be more accommodating to your guests, they tend to want to come back to you."

For more information on all of the new ADA requirements, you can visit the ADA's website at www.ada.gov .

If you want to know if your business meets the new ADA requirements, you can contact David Meihls at ADAconsultantsofindiana.com or directly at David@adaconsultantsofindiana.com .