Metropolitan Beaches Commission Hearing on Disability Access Summary

Summary

70 individuals from neighborhoods ranging from Nantasket to Nahant discuss barriers affecting people with disabilities on our region’s public beaches. This hearing took place on November 30th, 2021 from 10 AM-12 PM. Public testimony was received from a vast amount of individuals that represented different neighborhoods and cultural backgrounds.

Important Themes

  • Beach accessibility: broken ramps, lack of ADA compliant ramps, walkways need to be extended down to the water 

  • Lack of spontaneity for those that are disabled: people need to plan days ahead to reserve beach wheelchairs and have mobility mats out

  • Lack of communication: many people do not know who to call or how to reserve wheelchairs, and simply don’t end up going to the beach

  • Lack of accessible parking: limited access points to the beach due to overcrowding, wheelchair parking is angled and doesn’t allow for room to get out of the car

  • Lack of maintenance & staff: mobility mats always are covered in sand, staff is inconsistent at beaches 

Public Testimony: Important Quotes

Stephanie Cooper, DCR Acting Commissioner & Deputy Commission at MassDEP

"COVID taught us the critical importance of getting outdoors for our collective physical, mental, and spiritual health." 

"Ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and invited at our public beaches, particularly at our metropolitan beaches, is a really important core value for us at DCR and of this commission." 

I commend you for your focus on equity and access, which could not be more critical. We know that these 15 public beaches in Greater Metropolitan Boston are really, you know, they're a crown jewel for all of us and they're so important. As you all well know, we can't do this work alone, we can't steward these properties by ourselves. 

Kristen McCosh, Commissioner, Boston Disabilities Commission 

“For 40 years that I’ve been going to the beach, I see a lot of improvements, and I hope to continue making use of all the accessibility programs”  

Coleman Nee, Executive Director and CEO of Triangl,Inc. 

"In truth, these beaches are public assets and they shouldn't only be available to the  disability community during an event once a year, they should be available all the time." 

"We need additional investments, we need more walkways and ramps, we need proper equipment, we need mobi-mats, we need floating wheelchairs at every beach, and we need all bathrooms and snack stands to be ADA compliant."

Kathy Lafferty, Executive Director of South Boston Neighborhood House

“Our priorities are to positively impact the lives of South Boston residents, to meet the needs of families experiencing economic stress, and to be a resource and advocate for our most vulnerable community members”  

“Our beaches are not accessible to everyone, especially those with wheelchairs or need adaptive equipment. When we offer to program, we want everyone to be able to participate. That means getting on the sand, near or in the water, and not just on the pavilion to watch. We are in this conversation because we want to be a part of the solution”

Andrea Gayle-Bennett, Third Junior Vice Commander of the Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts 

“We need to assess and invest in the proper infrastructure, to make sure our beaches are accessible to everyone. The beach isn’t just a vacation destination, there are several health benefits as previously mentioned. Several studies show enjoying the outdoors improves stress and overall wellbeing.”

“For many North Shore veterans, they find it sometimes challenging to access and fully enjoy our public beaches, particularly in Lynn. Lynn is a city of over 100,000 residents. Yet accessibility to the beach is limited to those with physical disabilities. While there is a ramp at the Wallace Street entrance, it's not readily or easily identifiable as the handicap access, there's no signage. In addition, that ramp ends at the sand, and as previously mentioned, this makes access to the full beach limited and it turns them into spectators instead of participants.”

Alex DeFronzo, Executive Director of Piers Park Sailing Center

"The hard infrastructure for making the beaches accessible is extremely important, but perhaps more important is the human infrastructure of actually programming the beaches and getting groups of people out there" 

"When there are Better Beaches programs running or Universal Access Programs running, that is when the beaches feel most welcoming, most successful, and most inclusive. For a lot of people that is when they learn about the fact that they are accessible and easy to get down to." 

Ellice Patterson, Founder, Executive, and Artistic Director of Abilities Dance

"A big part of our work is building cultural understanding, and that is just as important as the physical access and the equipment to enjoy these beaches. Diverse and disabled beachgoers shouldn't have to fight to explain themselves and should be able to have the access to rest and enjoy like everyone else...We should be able to participate in these spaces like everyone else."  

All speakers:

  • Chris Mancini, Executive Director of Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay

  • Maya Smith, Director of Partnerships & Program Development 

  • Brendan Crighton, State Senator for 3rd Essex District

  • Adrian Madaro, State Representative for 1st Suffolk District

  • David Biele, State Representative for 4th Suffolk District

  • Tom McCarthy, Director of DCR Universal Access Program

  • Ralph DeCicco, Revere Commission on Disabilities

  • Barbara Bishop, Resident of Winthrop

  • Angela Ponte, Quincy Resident

  • Joanne McDevitt, member of the City Point Neighborhood Association in South Boston

  • Patti Capano, Lynn Resident

  • Andrea Patton, Chief of Staff for Boston Mayor’s Commission for Disabilities 

Written Testimony Takeaways

  • Support of improvements and advancements to the DCR’s Universal Access Program

  • Many ramps dead end into the sand

  • The need for more accessible parking spots & lighted crosswalks along beaches

  • Improved infrastructure along the beach: making sure all grounds are leveled so they are wheelchair accessible 

  • Much of the beach infrastructure is not ADA compliant

  • Beach wheelchair loaning program: lack of communication with the public 

  • More quality ramps, mobility mats, handicap-accessible docks, and piers 

All written testimonies

  • AJ Capano, Lynn Resident

  • Angela Ponte, Quincy Resident

  • Chris Puiia, Revere Beach Partnership

  • Karen and Jim Pitrolo, Nantasket Residents

  • Kayak and Sail Lynn, (KASL Team)

  • Maria Lyons, Dorchester Resident

  • Paula Collins, Fitchburg Resident