Is there anything that can be done to help the Junior Council with the handicap accesible swingset? They were promised the spot by the Treehouse and now I hear they were told no. These kids did a great job, and now it seems like the city is slapping them in the face. Any thoughts? Thanks
The city is not slapping anybody in the face. Doherty gave an ok for a location. He should not have done that knowing full well that the location may be comprimed by by the finshed tree house.
Treehouse done and now the parks a rec dept says no because they have allready designated a play area on the other side of the park for handicaped accesible junglegyms and such. Not a huge deal in my mind.
It sucks that they where told something and it didnt work out. WElcome to earth, I'm tim nice to meetcha. I mean in a sick and twisted way this is a great lesson in politics and life for these young people. You try and do something very nice and work very hard for it. Your told all things are a go and in the last minute blammo.
I don't think they should refund everyone just yet. Why not find out the details involved in the new area and continue. Face advirsity head on and make the swingset. I bet more people would jump on board now.
Well first I think we need to learn the exact reason for the move of area. I would be very careful of assuming whatever is being touted as the reason over at DD is the whole truth or anything near the truth.
If, as has been suggested, it has something to do with "inclusion" as Mrs Gatelli suggested that is a very difficult issue to get around as it is Federal Law. For example it is considered segregation to have all accessible areas (equipment, hotel rooms, bathrooms) all in one place and all non accessible in another area, as it appears to seperate disabled from non disabled. So the following twoquestions jump to my mind as needing to be answered, then perhaps we can better decide what if anything can or should be done.
1. Is a non-accessible swingset area is being planned and if they place the accessible swingset "away" from that area in the area by treehouse (despite that being the area originally chosen for swingset by Jr Council) might this open the city up to at the very least complaints, at worse lawsuits?
2. With an accessible recreation item (the tree house) already there, would adding another accessible recreation item (without non assesible being avaialbe there also) constitute "segregating" in the Fed's eyes? Might that also open the city up to at the very least complaints, at worse lawsuits?
Hope that is helpful in getting the discussion going :)
-- Edited by IHavehadenoughofhaters at 16:16, 2007-07-27
I think that we should all settle down over this issue ... I think that we need to listen to the request of Mrs. Klause (sp?) and put it where all children can play together and learn tolerance for one and other ... she would know better than Council ... Jr. Council ... you and I where is the best place to put this swingset ... I say we listen to those who have to use it.
And I do believe that if you have more than one child and all are not handicapped ... wouldn't it be better to have a place where you can watch all of your children ... it's all about safety to me ... put them together ...
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I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
I wish that the woman had not made quotation marks with her fingers and said the word "normal" to describe children without any sort of visible handicap. I think I know what she was really getting at, and I feel for her, but I do not believe any child with a disability needs to be "accepted", "tolerated", or treated as an object of pity. They are who they are. Let them simply function to their highest potential without having to feel as though they are under constant view as charity cases.
Junior council's goal should have been simply to get the swingset erected and made available for the wheelchair gang. Personally, I do not believe the park needs "Handicap Land". It's a sneaky form of segregation. The park can be better utilized when all the children can enjoy themselves together.
Absolutely blown out of proportion ... I think it should go up ... I don't want to see it lost simply because the original site is not available now ... put them with the other children!
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I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
Just to note, the Junior Council it seems decided where this was going to go before getting clearance for it. The inclusion factor is a major one. Let ALL kids play together, handicapped or not. why would you want your handicapped child playing on a swingset alongside the road while the rest of the children play in the playground? Junior Council is doing something admirable, they just didn't cover all of the bases and talk to everyone they needed to before going forward.
I think that the solution is to put that swingset up ... I hate the thought of it being lost forever!
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I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
I haven't been paying attention that closely, because it's just a swingset after all. Hardly the most pressing issue in town. But it seems to me that instead of just building it where it was going to be built, Doug "took his toys out of the sandbox and went home" by returning the money. Doug, dude, just because the speakers act like spoiled children, it doesn't excuse your acting like a whiny little bitch, too. Dig?
Well Vince when I say lost that's what I meant ... Young Mr. Miller has decided to give back the money that was raised for the swingset because it's not going to be placed across from the tree house ... so in a way it is lost ...
I understand that it is not a pressing issue ... but ... I think that in life we learn that sometimes things don't happen exactly the way we would like them ... but at times things work out even better after a plan has been formulated and things have been thought out better ...
Did Dough refund the money yet or is he still thinking about it ... hopefully he will think better of that decision and let the children have their swingset.
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I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
It really does sound whiney for him to take his ball and run home. The boy wants to run with the big dogs, he's got to grow a thicker skin.
Doug, You were slapped down once. Stand up, dust yourself off and head back to the mayor's office. If the erection of this swingset means that much to you (as I am sure it does), and to the handicapped community, then you have an obligation to see this through. You can be pissed off later. Accomplish what you have set out to do. In the long run, it will benefit the handicapped community, and will show our city that ten years from now, you just might be the next best thing.
Now scoot -- get your ass to the mayor's office, even if you have to go ther wioth your hat in your hand.
