Duxbury Beach
Gurnet Road
Duxbury, MA 02332
http://www.duxburybeach.com/
Recently a good friend sent us the link to the article
‘Nantasket Beach accessible for people with disabilities’ By Jennifer Mann / The Patriot Ledger / August 01, 2009. It’s about all the recent changes the town of Hull did to make Nantasket Beach more wheelchair accessible. The author also writes; “Town-run beaches tend to lag behind when it comes to accessibility, although Duxbury Beach is known for its accommodations for the disabled.”
Instead of traveling to Nantasket Beach in Hull, my mom, Ric, Josh and I went to Duxbury Beach for its closer to my home. Wow was I disappointed to find there are many obstacles at this beach. Duxbury Beach is a beautiful 6-mile long barrier beach that extends from Marshfield in the north to Plymouth in the south. I also heard Duxbury Beach was voted # 1 Beach in Boston Magazine 5 years in a row!
Once we arrived we found there are only 2 handicap parking spaces in the large parking lot. The cost to park is $15 with NO disability discount to persons in a wheelchair. I was somewhat surprised for all our State Beaches give free parking to persons who have a handicap parking placard and some other Town Beaches do also. These parking spaces are close to the wheelchair accessible ramp leading to the beach.
Before we unpacked my Beach Wheelchair we went to check out the access of this beach. There are No Loaner Beach Wheelchairs available at this beach. The accessible ramp leading to the beach is nice and wide with a gradual slope so accessing this beach is easy if you bring your own beach wheelchair. The beach itself is beautiful!!
We then checked out the snack bar. The service window at the snack bar is NOT wheelchair accessible for it is way too high. The picnic tables are not wheelchair accessible either for the benches are permanently attached and the table does not extend on the side to make it accessible like the picnic tables at Old Silver Beach.
We then went to check out the Bathhouse. Accessing this bathhouse we thought is dangerous. There are steps and a side cement sloped walkway leading to the double screen entry door. The problem is there is no railing on the side of the sloped walkway and a person in a wheelchair could easily wheel right over the steps. The entrance is not open as it is at some other beaches. There are double screen entry doors that are awkward to open for they swing outward and interfere with the little space you have on the cement walkway.
Locate d inside this Bathhouse is an ice cream counter, restrooms, changing rooms and showers. The ice cream counter is of a wheelchair accessible height. Yet the restrooms, shower and changing room are NOT wheelchair accessible or ADA compliant. There are two small stalls in the restroom; there is NO handicap stall; the pipes under the accessible sink are NOT covered; there is NO wheelchair access into the changing room because my chair can’t fit through the door; there is NO wheelchair access to the showers because they are located in the changing room and I can’t access this room.
A sign in Bathhouse states: “Did you know? That during the 1992 ‘No Name Storm’ that most of the building was destroyed. In fact the sand was up the ceiling in the kitchen and the refrigerators floated across the bay!”Obviously when they rebuilt or repaired it they didn’t make it ADA compliant.
Because I usually use the restroom, changing room and shower at a beach, we all decided to leave and head to
Scusset Beach State Reservation . It is just as beautiful of a beach and it is free to park and very wheelchair friendly and accessible!
I give Duxbury Beach ONE STAR for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the other Four Stars they would need to offer a discount to persons in wheelchairs since there is no accessible restroom, changing room or shower; provide a loaner beach wheelchair to beach goers who don’t own one; lower the customer service window at the snack bar; place a wheelchair accessible stall in the restrooms; provide access to the changing room and showers; and place a railing on the side of the wheelchair accessible slope leading to the Bathhouse for safety.
August 19th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Hi Kenny!!
Just wanted to let you know I love your site, its great. I have a handicapped plate, but I can walk (with pain)and I still find your site extremely helpful. I like your descriptions about various places. I went to Scusett Beach today and I was shocked when the guy wouldn’t take my money. That was a great surprise! Anyway thanks again!
Audra
August 20th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Hi Audra,
All Massachusetts State Beaches and Parks have FREE PARKING for persons with handicap placards. The DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) lists all State Beaches and Parks on their website at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/universal_access/a-swim.htm
I love Scusset Beach too… but it’s a long walk/wheel from the parking lot to the beach.
If you have pain walking you might want to check out Horseneck Beach, another State Beach that has FREE parking for disabled. It was recently renovated and has EASIER ACCESS to the beach because it has wooden walkways leading all the way from the parking lot to the edge of the ocean.
My review is at http://thetravelingwheelchair.com/horseneck-beach-state-reservation/.
Have fun!
Thanks!
May 14th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
It is very disturbing that someone would visit Duxbury Beach and not know what they are talking about.
1. There is a brand new handicap bathroom with all the amenities someone would need.
2. There are table inside and outside for wheel chairs.
3. There is a handicap wheel chair for the beach if someone needs one.
4. Duxbury Beach is NOT a state beach it is a private beach and all the $ goes back into the beach. It says it inside!
5. There are two handicap spaces but also an area with marked lanes and signs that is used for handicap parking.
Instead of snooping around taking picture maybe these people should have just asked for a manager. They spent so much time finding out what was wrong if they really looked or read the signs they would have found all the good things!
I go every weekend and have never had a problem. My mother is 87 and has NEVER had a problem!
May 14th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Hello I love the beach,
We love the beach too and thought Duxbury Beach was one of the more beautiful beaches we’ve seen. We didn’t snoop around..we spoke with employees who answered all our questions and showed us the restrooms and changing area.
The main reason we didn’t stay at this beach is because there was NO handicap accessible stall in the men’s room and Kenny needs a restroom to use. You say “There is a brand new handicap bathroom with all the amenities someone would need”. We’re curious – How new is this? Maybe it was built after we assessed the beach?
Also the picnic tables are not wheelchair accessible …a person in a wheelchair can’t fit and reach the table due to attached bench and has to sit sideways at end of table.
Everything we stated is exactly what we found wrong with wheelchair access of this beautiful beach.
Best Regards!
Kenny & Company