-Recommendation

ReportWheelchair Accessibility Corrections

By Kendrick Sanchez

Table of Contents
Introduction..
3
Methodology.
4
Results.46
Discussion of
Results.6-7
Recommendations and Conclusion.
.7-8
References.
8

Abstract
Isotopes Park is a major city attraction for Albuquerque, New Mexico that
invites thousands of new and returning fans to watch their favorite American
pastime game of baseball every year. Of these many fans, a small but
equally important percentage is occupied by handicapped individuals
whether they be elderly, veterans, or with other disabilities. Unfortunately,
what you will find in this report will bring light to a troublesome fact that
Isotopes Park is not so access friendly as it could potentially be. Isotopes has
numerous locations for handicapped when it comes to seating the fans,
however getting the fans into the stadium can be quite the challenge with
the way sidewalk construction was designed. Universal design will be the
foundation of this report and you will be introduced to this concept by an
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illustration of how a beautiful stadium that attracts so many locals of

Albuquerque can have its weakness in design when it comes to allowing the
disabled in wheelchairs into the stadium. This report will bring to the
attention this very real problem that has not been addressed until now and
will hopefully spark initiative to promote change and create a more equally
accessible Isotopes Park that everyone can benefit from.

Introduction
Wheel chair accessibilities is the subject of matter for this report in that
Isotopes Park should strongly consider improving their access for the
disabled fans who wish to enjoy a game of baseball. The purpose for this
report is to satisfy universal design of Isotopes Park to make the stadium
equally accessible for all fans and to make everyone happy. This particular
case involves a beautifully designed landscape of the outside perimeter of
the stadium but lacks the needed access requirements that would make
those in wheelchairs feel at ease for approaching the stadium. Universal
design is intended for producing any product while incorporating all variables
that would make things equal for any two users. In this situation, it is a
universal design predicament encompassing the disabled in wheelchairs
attempting to gain access from street level and uphill through sidewalk. As
you will notice below this body of text is an aerial view I used from Google
Maps and drew the areas of circulation. In red circles are the only three ways
fans can enter the stadium approaching from the south and from the west.
The middle red circle indicates the design challenge that will face any person
with a wheelchair, the left red circle indicates the closest entrance at third
base side that unfortunately only provides access to ambulatory individuals
with a staircase, and the right red circle indicates the only flat sidewalk that
will require those in wheelchairs to have to travel a far distance in order to
use the path.

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Methodology
In order to fully understand the issue of wheelchair accessibilities at Isotopes
Park and gaining a better concept of the accessibility process as a whole, it
was necessary to conduct several methods of research. The following
research assessments were prepared with the intention of educating both
myself and Isotopes Park AAA MiLB organization before advancing to
recommendations and considering new changes to the stadium.
Phase 1: Visit and observe Isotopes Park property perimeters for
current accessibility
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Phase 2: Interview a current employee under seasonal operation

Phase 3: Interview personal elderly handicapped family and friends for
their

experience accessing the stadium in the past

Phase 4: Research and analyze other professional stadiums for any
structural or mechanical systems constructed using Universal Design
for equal accessibility

Phase 1: I had a fairly good visual memory of the structural elements and
design of the construction and architectural landscape of Isotopes Park from
my own personal experience going to ball games. However, in my recent
visit to the stadium, I was able to observe the outer perimeters of it and gain
a new opinion when considering accessibility for all the traffic entering in and
out.

What drew my attention immediately was how incredibly difficult it must be

for those in wheelchairs and are disabled having to walk unnecessary lengths
in order to enter the third base and first base side gates. The main sidewalk
design is what made me think of what I would have to go through if I were in
a wheelchair having to go uphill at a steep decline for one, and then having
to tackle the zig-zag pattern adjacent to a straight forward staircase where
those who are ambulatory could go up with ease.

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Phase 2: I furthered my research by interviewing a colleague of mine who

has been a loyal employee to the Isotopes organization for five years now.
Hank Patalan has worked at the main gates checking in fan tickets as they
enter the stadium for all these years and his answers actually confirmed my
hypothesis that Isotopes Park is not as accessible to the disabled as it should
be. I asked him questions that were directly associated with the numbers of
disabled he encounters per game and per season and whether some of the
disabled in wheelchairs had any grief at the gate. His answer surprised me
after he mentioned that there were several situations where elderly
gentlemen would complain to the staff that there was not an escort at the
bottom of the street and that they would have to roll all the way up
unassisted. Hank also described to me his experience with hearing
complaints of how the disabled fans would have the closest parking to the
stadium but then would have to roll twice as long on the furthest end and
middle section of the perimeter, and that this fact could be the reason for
them not returning anymore because the access was far too difficult. This
very answer helped me form several of my recommendations.

Phase 3: After interviewing an employee of Isotopes Park, I then turned to

interview my grandfather and two other elderly gentlemen who are friends of
his who like to come to a few games during the season. The interview was in
conversational form for me to extract information that might support my
hypothesis. Fortunately I found that support in their answers being that they
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were similar in experiences where they had their family roll them in their
wheelchairs uphill but that it was always an unpleasant experience because
whether you approach the stadium off of University or Avenida, the disabled
fan is forced to roll a long distance to find the flat concrete instead of the
stairs and that the zig-zag pattern was always troublesome.

Phase 4: My final step I took with research was to look up a few

professional stadiums and see what level of focus they bring towards
Universal Design and accessibility. I started with Yankees Stadium and City
Field and they were very impressive to read through some of the details that
the Yankees and Mets organization would bring to the table. On top of all the
access features on the website, when it comes to the structural elements of
the stadiums, the thought that was put into the construction design process
and there were a number of mechanical and electrically charged technology
that would allow those in battery powered wheelchairs to recharge.

Results
As I briefly mentioned in my methodology and as I conducted research, I
began to analyze the information I gathered and there were some clear
findings that will carry worth when I further elaborate in the discussion
following these results.

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The major results I found were focused on the details of what exactly
disabled people in wheelchairs have to encounter in the world, and more
specifically, when rolling through the circulation of thousands of fans
entering the stadium. These involve the extended distance that the disabled
are immediately put in a disadvantage when proceeding from the parking
lots on the south and west sides of the stadium, and then must roll even
further in order to access the preexisting flat sidewalks. The results also
involve impact on the returning revenue of sold tickets to those disabled who
would decide to not return to the ballpark because of the numerous
restrictions and challenging sidewalk patterns to confront.

Discussion of Results
Based on the research and the results I was able to produce, the solution of
investing time and money to construct three new sidewalk features on the
perimeter of the stadium to avoid long term costs, mechanical maintenance,
and also to avoid losing ticket sales to those disabled who become
discouraged to return to Isotopes Park.
Avoid Long Term Costs
When comparing the initial costs of concrete construction to a fixed cost of
paying an hourly wage per game for an employee to escort the disabled
uphill, and also comparing the costs of mechanical installment it appears
that construction is a perfectly viable option for Isotopes Park.
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Avoid Mechanical Maintenance

Having the ability to avoid mechanical maintenance and upkeep of
wheelchair elevation or chain pull mechanics uphill can create enough
incentive to lean consideration of constructing the new sidewalks.
Mechanical maintenance will require extra labor and risk in the technology
breaking down in the weather open to the public and would most assuringly
put a dent in budget expenditure.
Avoid Losing Ticket Sales to Non-returning Fans
Undergoing temporary construction renovations for Isotopes Park during the
off season will avoid losing ticket sales because if those in wheelchairs who
decide to not return to the stadium will also affect their family members from
coming. Sidewalk construction remains to be the option of choice.

Recommendations
To conclude, I believe without hesitation that working with a contractor to
install new flat concrete sidewalks directly adjacent to the small parking lots
near the handicapped area will make Albuquerque and out of state visitors
feel happy and welcomed to get an Isotopes experience with little hardship.

Seasonal revenue will increase

Fans will feel encouraged to bring their elderly or disabled loved ones

to a game
The experience will feel equal under Universal Design
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Circulation will increase in efficiency for traffic flow going into and out
of the stadium from all angles

I am fully confident that this is the best solution for both the Isotopes
organization and for loyal fans in wheelchairs and the benefits will unfold as
soon as the project is complete.

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