2003-09-15 Regular - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

out of their chair if they have upper-body strength; senior citizens would benefit from the step as well. I see endless benefits in keeping the step. However, making accessible entrances is what is extremely important, and we do that with the compliant lift and the chair lift." Ms. Welsch pointed out that some of the people, including one of our Park Department employees, referred to the step as an impediment. That is an opinion, not a proven fact, and we do not have the records to back that up, but we have had the pool for seventy years. She said an ADA compliant slope is a slope of 1-in-50 that is two inches in 100 inches. As she read the EDM breakdown, which referred to the BOCA Code and the Swimming Pool Code, she noted that it does not go against any code, but they requested a 4-inch in 96-inches slope. That is less than a four per cent slope. They pointed out, also, some issues of cross-slopes, which Ms. Welsch admitted she doe not understand, but she noted that in a memo to Mr. Moton today, they said: "While technically the deck around the pool slightly exceed that allowed by ADA and would not be considered an accessible route, we feel that the slope required by Saint Louis County is more important since it provides for positive drainage, preventing algae growth and sanitary hazards." Ms. Welsch reiterated that she believes an accessible route, according to the ADA, equally as important as providing drainage. She noted we provide good drainage now with the curb. As the insurers say, there is nothing against a curb, and they will insure for a curb, and just because other cities do not have it, should not mean we have to get rid of it. She concluded by saying she asked Mr. Moton to advise Mr. Ollendorff that she does not appreciate memos reading, "All experts say". She underscored the importance of including the specifics about the experts, the phrasing of the questions and what they said, because if you examine the statements of experts in statements received, none of them say "a curb is such a danger we should not have it." She further stresses that the City has seventy years of experience with the pool and that the Council should provide the people with what was promised. She indicated that she was not in favor of going to a vote last November on this issue. She worked on the resolution in good faith with colleagues and it is going to be a big disappointment if the Council goes against the clearly stated words of the Resolution to maintain the historic pool. Mr. Sharpe said that he had a problem, coming from the study session meeting, when he stated publicly that he would support the curb if the ADA did not find a problem with it. He wants to be consistent, but does not find a problem with the curb. He acknowledged technological changes and that not having a curb is not going to be detrimental to the pool, so he supports the curb. Mr. Lieberman said all the information received from citizens places the arguments concerning the curb into three major categories: 1) prohibiting debris and water from entering the pool, 2) preventing toddlers and small children from falling into the pool, and 3) maintaining the historical precedents by keeping the pool the same appearance as originally built. He looked at the arguments and noted that the new design would maintain the same height as the current curb and provide for better drainage away from the pool, than the current curb and sidewalk does. There will always be acorn debris in the pool, especially at the end of each season, as they are with the present curb; the curb does not keep them out of the pool, so that is not a good argument. As for Page 12