★★★☆☆
Newport Avenue
Pawtucket, RI 02861
Phone: 401-728-0500 x257
http://www.tourblackstone.com/slaterpark.htm

slaterparkinri.jpgMy Aunt Nancy, friends and I go fishing almost every Sunday when the weather is nice. We usually fish at Long Pond in Lakeville or Onset Town Pier; but today we headed to Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket, RI to meet my cousin Liz and try our fishing luck here. Slater Memorial Park, a beautiful park in Pawtucket, RI is very wheelchair accessible except for a few minor problems. There are plenty of handicap parking spaces located up front in every parking lot.

slater-park-018.jpgFresh water fishing is allowed in a big pond. We all noticed that this pond is not as clean as Long Pond. Wheelchair access is excellent here. There is a wide cement walkway that is easy to wheel along around the entire pond. A cement walkway extends out in an area to fish. It is wheelchair accessible and safe; there is no chance of your wheelchair rolling into the water for a cement lip before the water would prevent this.

slater-park-013.jpgIt is the first time Liz has come fishing with us. We hooked a shiner for her bait; she casted out in the water and to our AMAZEMENT she instantly caught a fish; a good looking BASS. We all screamed in excitement a big “Hooray” for she was with us we figured it counts as a catch for all of us! First time we’ve caught a fish in the three years we’ve gone fishing :>)

slater-park-006.jpgWe threw the bass back into the water so he could join his friends and headed to the concession stand for some lunch. The concession stand is not very wheelchair accessible for the counter where you place and pay for your food order is too high for me to reach.

slater-park-004.jpgThe condiments are placed at a wheelchair accessible height. My aunt and friends still helped me pour the ketchup and mustard into a condiment cup for I can only use my right hand due to my left side being paralyzed.

slater-park-007.jpgWe then headed to the picnic tables. None of the picnic tables throughout park are wheelchair accessible :<) the benches are permanently attached and there is no room for my chair to fit under the end of the table. I stuck out like a sore thumb while my friends handed me my food and drink.

The most wheelchair accessible picnic tables I’ve seen are the tables at Scusset Beach State Reservation, where the permanently mounted bench seats swing out AND the picnic table at Old Silver Beach, where the picnic table has an extension on the end to fit a wheelchair.

The restrooms here are spacious, wheelchair accessible fully ADA compliant. The pipes under the accessible sink are even covered as is now ADA required.

slater-park-009.jpgThe Gazebo in the park is not wheelchair accessible for there are steps leading into it. I find this disappointing for wheelers who may want to enjoy sitting in the gazebo on a hot day to escape the hot sun.

slater-park-017.jpgWe then headed to the Carousel. There are steps leading into the building yet there is a nice wheelchair accessible ramp on the side.

slater-park-015.jpgThe Carousel is not wheelchair accessible for there is no pull out ramp to allow wheelers to access. Not quite sure why they built a wheelchair accessible ramp leading into the building if the Carousel is not wheelchair accessible. I guess it may be for us wheelers to watch friends and family members having fun as they go round and round!

slater-park-002.jpgThe former zoo was closed and has been reopened as the Daggett Farm. My mom and dad used to bring me and my brother to the zoo here when I was just a small child and I remember the polar bears and other large animals at this zoo. These larger animals are no longer here and this zoo now just provides an area for petting animals. The zoo is fully wheelchair accessible; it has cement walkways which are easy to wheel your chair.

slater-park-001.jpgA bike, jogging, walking or wheeling trail leads from the park to Rumford, RI. My mom and Aunt Nancy grew up in Rumford and have told me about this very accessible trail. It’s a great place to take a wheel or a stroll with some friends.

Slater Park is a great and fun place to visit. If you fish here, you might even catch a fish like we did today!

I give Slater Memorial Park Three Stars for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the other Two Stars, they would need to lower the countertop at the concession stand; place some wheelchair accessible picnic tables throughout the park and place a ramp leading into the Gazebo.