The Traveling Wheelchair

Pier 1 and Pier 4
1 Constitution Road
Charlestown, MA 02129
http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/cny.htm

This week 45 tall ships sailed into Boston Harbor for Sail Boston ‘09 and with them came along some well needed SUNSHINE :) Yesterday my mom, Kellie, Kevin and I traveled to Charlestown Navy Yard to see the Tall Ships docked at Pier 1 and Pier 4. This review will be an accessibility review of the Charlestown Navy Yard and their ACCESS provided to the Tall Ships.

We parked in a street handicap parking space located close to Charlestown Navy Yard. Once out of my van, I had to wheel along the street a ways to get to the closest accessible curb cut-out on the sidewalk; this curb wasn’t cut out fully and Kevin had to lift my manual chair.       

The Charlestown Navy Yard is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy and is home of  the USS Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides”. It’s also part of the Harborwalk in Charlestown.

The terrain of Charlestown Navy Yard is a combination of brick and wooden deck with old trolley rails throughout. I found wheeling on the brick and wooden deck easy for it is fairly smooth. Yet there are some obstacles in some areas where the terrain changes for there are curbs that are NOT fully cut out.

If someone was wheeling along and not looking down to see these curbs, their wheelchair could tip over. I saw many visitors in wheelchairs and many using canes that also had problems wheeling/walking over and off the curbs. One fellow wheeler in a power scooter suggested I wheel my chair backwards over the curb.

Wheeling over the trolley rails is really tough so try to avoid them if you can. If you can’t avoid them, try wheeling backwards.

Public restrooms are Port-O-Potty’s. There are several wheelchair accessible Port-O-Potty’s that are plenty big enough to fit my chair. I didn’t need to use the restroom but Kellie and I went inside to see if a person in a wheelchair and a caregiver/friend/family member can both fit. We had no problem fitting in here!

Concession stands are set up under tents; selling hot dogs, sausages, chicken fingers and fried dough plus more. The cost is a little pricey for the food you get. I found the countertop to order and pay for food is wheelchair accessible and of good height. All the outdoor tables are wheelchair accessible and of a good height.

Visitors are able to view the ships for free. I would have loved to board at least one deck of a Tall Ship. I was very disappointed there was no safe wheelchair access to any of the ships :-( Even baby carriages had to be left behind.

Visitors traveled across ramps, called shore-side gangways from Pier 1 and Pier 4 to the American Eagle , Amistad , Picton Castle , Bluenose II and LÉ Eithne . NONE that we saw are wheelchair accessible for all the ramps have is a small step leading up to the ramp and a step leading down to the deck of the ship. Some of the crew members on the ships kindly offered to lift my chair up onto the ramp, yet my mom, Kellie and Kevin thought it would be dangerous for both the crew and me. I think they envisioned me falling into the Boston Harbor :>) The crew would never  be able to lift my Permobil C350 Power Chair or a Power  Scooter for they are very heavy.

If we brought my EZ Access Threshold Ramp that came free with my EZ Access Suitcase Ramp I would have been able to get on and off these shore-side gangways.  The EZ Access Threshold Ramp is 36″ wide, portable, lightweight, durable and free-standing. It’s ideal for doorways and raised steps; it’s adjustable for heights ranging from ¾” to 6″ high. It’s intended for indoor or outdoor use.

Last week I saw the Amistad Tall Ship docked in Plymouth for   Sail Plymouth 2009. It wasn’t accessible when it was in Plymouth because the Plymouth Port provided them with an inaccessible shore-side gangway just like the ones used here. I later found out that Amistad’s home port of New Haven provides and accessible ramp and a chair lift to make their ship accessible to all :>)

The ramps to the ships are steeper at certain times of the day due to the tides and the size of a ship; yet most of the time they would be easy to wheel along if they had wheelchair access.

Below are pictures of the magnificent Tall Ships I saw yesterday and the inaccessible ramps/shore-side gangways  Charlestown Navy Yard provided to access them.

Overall it was still exciting to see these tall Ships docked at Charlestown Navy Yard. I suggest all who can go to see these magnificent and beautiful ships this weekend while in Boston. Especially since it is predicted to be a sunny summerlike weekend!

Security provided at Charlestown Navy Yard is very good. Many Boston Police Officers and medical personnel are all around.

The Boston Police were extremely helpful, courteous and kind. When we were ready to leave, two Boston Police Officers allowed Kellie to pull up my van in front so I could get on safely without traveling along the busy street. This is the 2nd time in a month the Boston Police have helped me gain safe access to my van. The last time was at the The Democratic National Committee & Organizing For America Reception with Vice President Joseph Biden at Fenway Park.

I give Charlestown Navy Yard THREE STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the other Two Stars, they would need to smooth out all the curb cuts to the various terrains; and provide a threshold ramp at both ends of the shore-side gangways so a person in a wheelchair can safely access at least one deck of a Tall Ship. I give ALL the crew members of the Tall Ships who offered to lift my chair FIVE STARS for sensitivity, kindness and helpfulness.

Once again, I give the Boston Police FIVE STARS for kindness; sensitivity and helping to get me safely back into my van :-)