I went to a football game at the GPISD Stadium on Wallisville. As a senior citizen (74 years old) and someone with knee/hip issues stairs are very difficult. I would expect that in order to be in compliance with the ADA, the stadium would have to have some type of elevator or transport for someone who is disabled. That is absolutely NOT the case. I do not need to use a wheelchair, but that does not mean I can climb two flights of steep stairs without being in pain. The handicap parking area gives access to the stadium seating via 2 flights of steep stairs, there is no ramp and no elevator. I was told by the ticket taker at the top that next time I attend a game I should park in the parking lot in front and walk through the ticket seller turnstile and request assistance going to my seat. The next game I tried that – the ticket seller told me she had NO IDEA what I was talking about – they have no way to assist someone to their seats. There was a constable with a dog standing right in front of me and he just shook his head. Looking at the steep incline (just as bad as two flights of stairs), I left without seeing the game.
SHAME on GPISD – there are plenty of senior citizens and handicapped members of the public who would go to games if there was a way to get to a seat without having to climb stairs. I don’t know how they can be incompliance with government handicap access guidelines either. GPISD built a multi million dollar stadium and seemingly forgot that there is a small portion of the public that would need access. We cannot all be able bodied sports fans.
I cannot be the only person to ever raise this issue and I am sure that some PR person for the district will have a response ready – but maybe they need to clue in the people who work the games.
I went to a football game at the GPISD Stadium on Wallisville. As a senior citizen (74 years old) and someone with knee/hip issues stairs are very difficult. I would expect that in order to be in compliance with the ADA, the stadium would have to have some type of elevator or transport for someone who is disabled. That is absolutely NOT the case. I do not need to use a wheelchair, but that does not mean I can climb two flights of steep stairs without being in pain. The handicap parking area gives access to the stadium seating via 2 flights of steep stairs, there is no ramp and no elevator. I was told by the ticket taker at the top that next time I attend a game I should park in the parking lot in front and walk through the ticket seller turnstile and request assistance going to my seat. The next game I tried that – the ticket seller told me she had NO IDEA what I was talking about – they have no way to assist someone to their seats. There was a constable with a dog standing right in front of me and he just shook his head. Looking at the steep incline (just as bad as two flights of stairs), I left without seeing the game.
SHAME on GPISD – there are plenty of senior citizens and handicapped members of the public who would go to games if there was a way to get to a seat without having to climb stairs. I don’t know how they can be incompliance with government handicap access guidelines either. GPISD built a multi million dollar stadium and seemingly forgot that there is a small portion of the public that would need access. We cannot all be able bodied sports fans.
I cannot be the only person to ever raise this issue and I am sure that some PR person for the district will have a response ready – but maybe they need to clue in the people who work the games.