We talked with businesses that had accessibility issues about possible solutions and did a little street theater to publicize problems in what we hoped would be a fun way. We also handed out commendations to businesses we found to be working hard to meet the spirit of the law. Those accessible businesses included Maria’s Bookshop, May Palace, Fired Up Pizza, Coldstone, Trinkets & Treasures, Lanka Blue, Rocky Mountain Chocolate, Fuzzywig’s, Durango Coffee Co. and Chimayo.

In addition, The Commons Building and Back Country Experience deserve praise for asking SWCI to come to their businesses and make recommendations. We were, of course, unable to check out every business in downtown Durango on that day, but please do call us at 259-1672 if you’d like us to come do a “walk-though” to talk with you about possible solutions.

We’d also like to commend the city of Durango for surveying the accessibility of city facilities, the Durango Area Tourism Office for developing a Web page that lists transportation options, County Commissioner Julie Westendorff for offering to facilitate a meeting of local transportation providers to address the “gap” in transportation to the airport and the new owners of the Taxi Authority, for reaching out to us to start a discussion about access issues. Also, kudos to Durango Transit because there were no issues at all transporting two wheelchair users downtown on the day of the event.

We appreciate that our friends and neighbors are talking about access issues for people with disabilities. Please help us celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act this month!

Jason Ragsdell

Durango