From:

To:
Subject:
Date:

Rita, Sherri
Alice Ansfield
RE: transport at zoo for elderly, handicapped...
Friday, August 01, 2014 9:17:00 AM

Hi Aliceyes, I did see this response from the Zoos executive director.

About 10 years ago, ADA Programs Division assisted the Zoo in purchasing a wheelchairaccessible cart that to this day is available upon advance request. In addition to the
wheelchair accessible cart, there are also two golf carts that are also available. All of
these accommodations are available free of charge as indicated below, so unfortunately,
the information you received about the $35 charge was incorrect.

The ADA does not require Zoos or other public or private entities to furnish wheelchairs or
other personal mobility devices, although some entities do provide these, and often charge
for them. In this case, the Zoo does not have a wheelchair rental program.

As indicated by Dr. Parrott, the Zoo is looking into shortening the notice period to request
the wheelchair accessible cart, and we will let you know as soon as possible what the
revised notice period will be.

Pursuant to our offices recommendations several years ago, the Zoo has been providing
notice on its website of the challenges that people with mobility disabilities may encounter
due to its unique location. In addition to its cart program, the zoo is obligated to ensure
that any alterations or new construction at the zoo conforms to the ADA standards for
accessible design, and our office has no information indicating that the zoo is in violation
of any ADA design standards at this point.

Our office is now exploring with the zoo the possibility of identifying the most accessible
routes through the zoo for a new map that can be provided to guests and made available
on its website.

Thank you again for bringing your concerns to our attention and giving us an opportunity to
work with the Zoo to identify additional ways to make the zoo as accessible as possible.
Please let me know if you have any further questions, and I will be in touch as soon as
possible regarding the notice period for the carts, and the status of our development of a
new accessible zoo routes map.

Sherri L. Rita, J.D.

Acting ADA Projects Coordinator | ADA Programs Division
City of Oakland | Public Works
One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
510-238-6919 (voice) 510-238-2007 (TTY)

This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged
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Division do not constitute a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities and do not create an attorneyclient relationship.

From: Alice Ansfield [mailto:alice@radiancemagazine.com]

Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 11:18 PM
To: Rita, Sherri
Subject: Fwd: transport at zoo for elderly, handicapped...

hi! thx for your email saying you're researching the ada policies and services att the oakland
zoo. i heard back this aft from the zoo ceo and wanted to pass the info to you. what do u
think? it still does not address the problem or offer a solution for folks who show up to enjoy
the zoo and need some help with the terrain or distance needs to walk.
thx for your input on this. - alice ansfield
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Dr. Parrott" <drparrott@oaklandzoo.org>
Date: July 31, 2014 at 3:26:12 PM PDT
To: 'Alice Ansfield' <alice@radiancemagazine.com>
Subject: RE: transport at zoo for elderly, handicapped...
Alice,
I checked with my staff to confirm our understanding and our policy, and it was
accurate.
We take ADA very seriously, not because it is required,, but because our guests
need the service and it is the right thing to do. Accessible pathways are helpful
for wheelchairs, walkers, any mobility problems, and strollers.
We inherited a zoo from the city of Oakland in 1982 that had non-accessible
pathways, and a zoo that was constructed in the hills. We could not change the
terrain, so we worked with the city and federal consultants to make the zoo
accessible to anyone with mobility problems. Our solution fell to two primary
commitments: all new future construction pathways would meet all ADA slope
and railing requirements; existing steep pathways would be made accessible with
two free electric carts. This has worked well so far.
The implementation of this needed to be practical and achievable. As a result,
we simply ask that guests in need of transportation help us by scheduling ahead
of time. We cannot be expected to have a full-time staff member ready and
available every day, ready to drive a person with mobility needs at any given
moment. We do not charge for this service, and the carts can carry the entire
family (up to five). I am going to re-evaluate the length of time (2-3 weeks)
required for that prior notice, in order to reduce the amount of time advance
notice is required. Hopefully, this will make it more available to the general
public.
Wheelchair rentals is another story. We were pulled by our insurance company
from offering a wheelchair rental program, much like you might see at Disney
(Disney is flat terrain). Our insurance carrier would not provide liability

coverage for this service, due to the liability risk of someone pushing a
wheelchair in the hills, and losing control of the wheelchair going downhill.
This would jeopardize the individual in the wheelchair as well as any guest that
might get hit. Motorized wheelchairs can also injure guests.
We currently take a risk with our free electric carts. We had a driver
transporting a guest with MS. The driver inadvertently hit another guest on the
pathway during a very crowded day. We were then sued by the guest IN THE
CART with MS, due to the stress the accident caused, even though it was a
courtesy handicap shuttle and the guest in the cart suffered no injury. This risk
of injury litigation with our electric carts is a risk our insurance carrier has
allowed us to assume.
I hope this Is helpful. Please feel free to phone me at 510-632-9525 x 172 if you
would like to discuss this further. Again, I can assure you that we believe deeply
in making sure the zoo remains accessible to anyone that would like to visit.
Joel Parrott, President/CEO

-----Original Message----From: Alice Ansfield [mailto:alice@radiancemagazine.com]

Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 11:57 AM
To: Dr. Parrott
Subject: Re: transport at zoo for elderly, handicapped...
thank you!
On Jul 31, 2014, at 11:50 AM, "Dr. Parrott" <drparrott@oaklandzoo.org> wrote:
Thank you Alice. I will follow up. Dr. P
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 31, 2014, at 11:35 AM, "Alice Ansfield"
<alice@radiancemagazine.com<mailto:alice@radiancemagazine.com
>> wrote:

Begin forwarded message:

From: Alice Ansfield

<<mailto:alice@radiancemagazine.com>alice@radiancemagazine.com
<mailto:
alice@radiancemagazine.com>>
Subject: transport at zoo for elderly, handicapped...
Date: July 31, 2014 11:14:59 AM PDT
To: <mailto:bob@oaklandzoo.org>
bob@oaklandzoo.org<mailto:bob@oaklandzoo.org>
Cc: <mailto:services@disabilityrightsca.org>
services@disabilityrightsca.org<
mailto:services@disabilityrightsca.org
, <mailto:adaprograms@oaklandnet.com>
adaprograms@oaklandnet.com<mailto:adaprograms@oaklandnet.com
>,
<mailto:ccalabrese@oaklandnet.com>
ccalabrese@oaklandnet.com<mailto:ccalabrese@oaklandnet.com>,
<mailto:haguilar@oaklandnet.com>
haguilar@oaklandnet.com<mailto:haguilar@oaklandnet.com>
Bcc: Alice Ansfield
<<mailto:alice@radiancemagazine.com>alice@radiancemagazine.com
<mailto:
alice@radiancemagazine.com>>
Hi Bob Westphal,
I'm writing to inquire about the resources offered at the zoo for
people who are elderly or disabled in some way and cannot walk to
see a certain exhibit.
I called the other day to try to set up a ride on the cart to go see the
elephants, an exhibit at the far end of the
park, and quite a ways to have to walk. The people at the zoo I
spoke with said there are only "docent tours"
that are pre-arranged 3-4 weeks ahead of time.... there is nothing
available to people in need on a daily basis who may show up with
their families to enjoy a day at the zoo.
I called a few other zoos and found out they offer wheelchairs for
rent (the push kind and electric). I understand the Oakland Zoo is
quite hilly in areas and there may be a liability issue for the
wheelchairs on hills. However, this should not stop the zoo from

setting up a resource to take care of those who show up and have a

need for physical assistance.
How about a position at the zoo of daily transport, like the airport,
where staff give rides to folks in need on the
electric carts -- drive them to their gate, back to the luggage area,
etc. etc. You could have something like that on a daily
basis, for all hours the zoo is open, where for a minimal fee if
necessary, people can get a ride to an exhibit or back to the parking
lot if they get tired or are in pain during their visit. The cart drivers
would carry walkie talkies/radios and be in constant touch with an
operator who will tell them where to go next, who is needing their
help.
This seems so obvious a need and I can't understand why this is not
being done already. The SF Bay area is a leader in disability rights.
It's shocking to know that the zoo has not taken this whole issue into
account and come up with what looks to be an easy solution for its
visitors.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please get back to me
on this. I would be happy to discuss this more.
I will wait to hear from you before taking it further into various
community, city, state groups who work on issues for the disabled
and elderly and the media.
Thank you.
Alice Ansfield