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Show Awareness » Through half-way houses, they even have some of that. Yet the handicapped person can't "wander" because of architectural barriers. Dan and other disabled students voiced constant protests about errors in restrooms, ramps and elevators in a new building under construction at UTC, but were ignored. Dan stated, "Now I don't hesitate to go talk to the dogs when they're barking too loud. So I got two of the bigwigs of Rehab over there, and I jumped out of my chair, fell on the floor and said, 'You get in that thing and take her away, Baby.' That man wheeled down the back ramp, but he pushed it back, saying, 'No way would I go down that. It's too steep.'" Dan urged, "Well, let's go the front ramp, it's a lot worse." The building was named for Governor Rampton and became known on campus as the Rampton House of Horrors. This was a real "Stinger." After Governor Rampton was shown the architectural boo-boos, he appointed Einar H. Johnson to a full-time architectural position to compile satisfactory building codes, with the goal of making all public buildings architectural-free: curb openings where wheelchairs can enter the sidewalks; ramps instead of or beside steps into buildings; landings in front of not-too-heavy doors; no thresholds up; elevators; adequate and marked restroom facilities. The present building code specifies in restrooms that one stall must have a five-foot radius for turning a wheelchair. However, they fill part of that space with a commode, so the poor occupant must leave the door open while in use. |
