What Places in Rochester Need a Change?

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Conor Boyer

For many people in our community being unable to access a building or public area is too often a common fear or frustrating reality. One that so many other people take for granted on a daily basis. This is something that, until worked for the Regional Center for Independent Living (RCIL), I was very naïve and uneducated about! Before working for RCIL, I would take regular trips to locations with inaccessible entrances and think nothing about it. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common mentality. With my new position at RCIL I have really opened my eyes to the inaccessibility issues that our community has and we are working hard to change this.

We all want to be able to access a restaurant, grocery stores, utilize the fitting rooms at our favorite clothing store or even check out the local comic book store without the fear or frustration of not being able to do so. Many areas in the City of Rochester and in the surrounding towns and villages are not accessible for everyone. There are barriers around and inside these businesses in our community that make it almost impossible for individuals to even get through the front door!

I assume we can remember a time when we have been hungry to the point that we become Hangry – “hungry and angry.” Now, think of being Hangry while you arrive at a restaurant you have selected to eat at, and it is completely inaccessible to you! Or you’re shopping at your favorite clothing store and want to try on a few items in the fitting rooms, which can often be pretty cramped and uncomfortable in general. What if you were unable to access or fit into the dressing room at all? Not being able to try on clothing until you purchase it and return home. Then it doesn’t fit or look good on you, so you now have to make multiple trips because of an inaccessibility issue. These are things that may not be imaginable for you, but for people with disabilities and senior citizens they are daily struggles and frustrations that our society has created. RCIL in partnership with the Center for Disability Rights is here to help make a change to better our community, and we would love your input!

If you know of places in the Greater Rochester area that are inaccessible please let us know! We can help others become more educated on this issue and work with businesses to become more accessible. We are looking to start an Access Group to meet monthly on these issues and discuss ways that we can work together to assist businesses and make our community better for everyone. Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, February 17th at 4:00PM at our main office building – 497 State Street, Rochester NY. Please feel free to come join us and assist in making our community a more accessible and positive place to live in. Please contact us for more information!

Contact: Conor Boyer