The Traveling Wheelchair

MA Architectural Access Board
One Ashburton Place, Room 1310
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-727-0660 / 1-800-828-7222
TTY: 617-727-0019
Fax: 617-727-0665
www.mass.gov./dps

Middleborough Council on Aging
558 Plymouth Street
Middleboro, MA 02346
Phone: 508-946-2490
T.D.D. (508) 946-4446
http://www.middleborocoa.com/

I. Architectural Access Board Training

Wednesday, December 9, my mom, Ric, Tony and I attended an Architectural Access Board Training at the Middleborough Council on Aging. Laura O’Connor and other members of the Middleborough Commission on Disabilities invited Mr. Thomas Hopkins, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (AAB) to present the training.

Mr. Hopkins provided an overview of the AAB in which he presented an easy to understand Power Point Presentation which included: Structure of the AAB; Jurisdictional issues; Tips and warnings; Process for complaints with examples; and Process for variances with examples. Mr. Hopkins encouraged questions which he kindly and simply answered.

Mr. Hopkins explained that the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (AAB) is a regulatory agency within the Massachusetts Office of Public Safety. The Board has 9 members; 6 members are appointed by the Governor and 3 members are Designees from State Agencies. The AAB develops and enforces regulations designed to ‘make public buildings accessible to, functional for and safe for use by persons with disabilities’. The AAB regulations are a State Law and part of the Massachusetts Code; 521 CMR; this law has been in effect since 1968 and is enforceable by all local and state building inspectors, as well as by the Board itself. Mr. Hopkins presented many simple to understand examples of what circumstances can or cannot trigger the AAB. He also spoke about the complaint process and variances businesses can apply for.

Mr. Hopkins also explained that the ADA is different than the AAB. The ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act is not a State Law; it is a Federal Civil Rights Law and only the U.S. Department of Justice can enforce it.

I was very impressed with Mr. Hopkins presentation and learned a lot more about this State Law. I am very grateful to the Commission of Disabilities for inviting him to Middleborough.

If you were unable to attend the training but would like information regarding the AAB, you can visit the website of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board @ www.mass.gov./dps or call their office: Phone- 617-727-0660 or TTY-617-727-0019.

The Middleborough Commission on Disability and Mr. Thomas Hopkins, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (AAB) all deserve FIVE STARS for helping to make the world more sensitive, respectful, safer and accessible to all.

II. Middleborough Council on Aging

I was very impressed with the wonderful accessibility of  the building of the Middleborough Council on Aging. I was equally impressed hearing about the many wonderful services and programs they provide for senior citizens and disabled residents. You can visit their website at http://www.middleborocoa.com/  for more specific details about the many helpful services they offer.

As for access of the building; there are plenty of handicap parking spaces in the large parking lot close to the main entrance. The entry doors are my favorite kind of automatic doors; as soon as you approach they slide right open. Once inside you’ll find the lobby spacious and a service counter that is of a good height for a person in a wheelchair. The hallways are all wide and many interior doors are automatic with a simple push of a button.

The rooms I saw are spacious with plenty of room to maneuver your chair; all the tables are of an accessible height that is perfect for my wheelchair. There are loaner wheelchairs and walkers for visitors who need them. Laura O’Connor, a member of the Middleborough Commission on Disability told us about many of the great services to the elderly and disabled citizens.

The restrooms are amazing! They are spacious, accessible and fully ADA compliant. The entry door is automatic; the lights turn on automatically as soon as you enter; the handicap stall is large with safety grab bars perfectly placed; the sink is accessible; the water from the faucet turns on as soon as you place your hand underneath; the soap and towel dispenser are automatic and easy to reach.

The Middleborough Council on Aging also deserves FIVE STARS for helping to make the world more sensitive, respectful, safer and accessible to all.