The City of Kirkland’s Parks & Community Services department published the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan for parks and park facilities in Kirkland, with the goal of increasing accessibility for disabled persons.
“Kirkland prioritizes being an inclusive and equitable community where everyone is respected, valued, and has some sense of belonging,” said Councilmember Amy Falcone. “This transition plan is a critical step on our journey towards better serving the needs of our community by eliminating barriers in our park system.”
Kirkland’s ADA Transition Plan identifies and prioritizes accessibility changes that are currently needed for participation for all within the city’s parks and park facilities, including parking stalls, curb ramps, and paths of travel, among others. The plan also offers a schedule to address the issues and lays out procedures for combating future issues.
“We are excited to create a formal ADA Transition Plan,” said Lynn Zwaagstra, Director of Parks and Community Services. “Not only will it identify existing and future accessibility needs, this plan will be a record of accessibility facility standards and will continue to provide mandated ADA design criteria for future parks and park facility projects.”
The ADA Evaluation and Transition Plan is part of Kirkland’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan; the city has engaged with the public since June 2021 regarding the PROS Plan. The updated PROS Plan will identify a series of recommendations for existing parks, facilities, programs, and other services. Recommendations will shape decision making and investments over the next 5 to 10 years, according to the city.
The report mentions how accessibility assessments were conducted at 52 parks and facilities in the city of Kirkland. Reports for each site surveyed include:
- A summary of findings for all main features, such as parking stalls, curb ramps, paths of travel, and restrooms
- Individual barriers with digital photos
- Geocode references for location of barriers
- Applicable ADA and state regulatory references
- Recommendations for corrective measures
- Order of priority cost estimates for each
The city encourages Kirkland residents to provide feedback on the ADA Transition Plan, which is welcome until April 8. Click here to view the ADA Transition Plan.
