ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 15, 1996 TAG: 9608150027
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARCI BOONE
SHAME on downtown business-owners.
I am a counselor at a center for people with disabilities, and I am also a person with a disability. One of the services that the center provides is educating the public. Recently, we were invited to speak at the YWCA to downtown business owners. The purpose of this presentation was to educate downtown business-owners as to what they can do to better serve their customers with disabilities and to become more sensitive when they are doing business with people with disabilities.
The YWCA announced the event in the newspaper, on the radio and television, and sent out individual invitations to downtown business-owners. Lunch was to be served during the meeting.
We arrived to speak; however, none of the business-owners arrived. I think that says something about Roanoke.
Downtown is one of the most inaccessible places in the area, and none of the business-owners put forth any effort to attend.
I am pleased, however, to tell you that our trip was still put to good use. The children attending the YWCA day camp were invited to listen. They asked intelligent questions and were very attentive. It may be too late to educate downtown business-owners. But maybe we can hope that the upcoming generation will be more sensitive and educated about people with disabilities.
Downtown business-owners may argue that they do not have any customers with disabilities, and they may not have felt they needed to attend this meeting. Well, they probably do not have customers with disabilities because their places of business are inaccessible - due to doors being too heavy, steps to the entrances, and small aisles in which wheelchairs cannot fit.
Downtown business-owners need to make their shops accessible, and stop worrying about how much money it will cost. A small ramp is inexpensive. A ramp wouldn't destroy the historical aspects of a building.
Even if it did somewhat alter the historic value of a building, we as a community need to ask ourselves which is more important: keeping intact a history that denies people access to services and goods because of their physical limitations or having a community in which there is equal opportunity for everyone?
A ramp would also allow basic access to the store and business owners would realize that people with disabilities do have money. Also, the new renovations may even improve their business.
Marci Boone of Roanoke is a counselor for people with disabilities at the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center.
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