The Traveling Wheelchair

71 Cohannet Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: 508-823-3320
http://www.oldcolonyymca.org/

My friends, Kellie and Ric have been going to Old Colony YMCA in Taunton to work out so Tony, Joel and  I decided to check out this YMCA to see if it is wheelchair accessible or offers any exercise programs for physically challenged persons like me. We also thought we’d surprise Kellie and Ric.

Many handicap parking spaces are conveniently located right up front. Entry doors are not automatic but wide enough to fit my wheelchair through. The entry doors led us to a large waiting area where a reception desk is located. We were warmly greeted by the receptionist and explained that we were here to review the YMCA for wheelchair accessibility.

We were told that the cost for a general membership to this YMCA is $474 annually or $39.50 per month. They do not offer any discount for physically disabled persons. We were told that persons with limited income can fill out an application for financial aid or apply for a special scholarship. The YMCA is open: Monday – Thursday 5:45 AM to 9:30 PM; Friday 5:45 AM to 8:30 PM; Saturday 5:45 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

This YMCA does not offer any specialized programs for the physically challenged but we were told that the YMCA staff will provide assistance to physically challenged persons who need help.

Two very nice YMCA staff members took us on a guided tour. We were asked not to take any pictures on our tour due to privacy of persons working out, which we fully understood! There are three levels in this building and the entry level is the top level.

Our tour guides took my friends and me on a freight elevator, my worse kind of elevator so we could access the lower level. The freight elevator can easily fit three persons but is really tight for four persons especially since I am in a wheelchair.

The lower level has a brand new Olympic size swimming pool that is only one year old. A great hydraulic chair lift is located in the pool to transfer a physically challenged person into the pool!  The pool and the lift are state of the art and top quality.

We then saw a weight room that has a lot of weight lifting equipment/machines and free weights. None of the equipment is adaptive for physically challenged so I would not be able to use the machines but our guide told me that I could use free weights while sitting in my wheelchair and a YMCA staff would always be there to provide me help.

The locker room is spacious and easy for me to maneuver my wheelchair around. I was told that all persons can use a locker but you must bring your own lock to keep your personal belongings safe. Restrooms are spacious and fully ADA compliant. A roll in shower is available but there is no roll in shower chair. I would definitely want to take a shower after a swim in the chlorinated pool but wouldn’t be able to with no roll in shower chair.

I then saw another room that has exercise equipment such as Treadmills, Stair Masters, and Exercise Bicycles but none are accessible for me.

Now it was time to go and see the gym upstairs. Our guide took me to a great wheelchair lift that I wheeled onto and it lifted me up and over the stairs so I could access this gym!! Safety bars kept me safe on the lift as it went up.  I think it is great that they installed this wheelchair lift!

Around the gym is a track that persons can run or walk along and my friends and I enjoyed taking a stroll around the gym on this track for we got a great view of Ric and Kellie working out in the gym! They were quite surprised to see us!!

Our guide then took us back down to the lower level so I took the wheelchair lift down to get back to the lower level while the others walked down the stairs and then we got back on the freight elevator to access the upper entry level.

We were then shown a huge room that has a Basketball Court, located on the upper entry level. This Basketball Court is where persons can shoot hoops or play a game of basketball. The baskets are too high for me to get a ball into the hoop. 

We thanked our tour guides and headed back home.

I give the Old Colony YMCA of Taunton THREE STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the other Two Stars they would need to install an automatic entry door; install a real elevator; purchase a roll in shower chair; provide some adaptive equipment and programs for physically challenged persons and offer a discount to physically challenged persons since not all the equipment is accessible.  It would also be great if they could install a shorter basketball hoop so persons in wheelchairs can shoot some hoops!