Demand disabled accommodations on Jekyll Island beach

  • by: Widget Richards
  • recipient: The petition is for GA's Governor Deal and Jekyll Island Authority.

PLEASE MAKE A COMMENT

Jekyll Island is a Georgia state park and has NO public wheelchair beach access route to the hard-packed sand(waterline) of the oceanside beach.  This is critical for people in wheelchairs or on walkers desiring to enjoy Jekyll Island's beach.

Although improvements for accessing the beach have been made, Jekyll Island Authority (JIA)(JIA is appointed by GA Governor Deal) has still refused to provide the most critical, and obvious, component enabling access for the disabled.  Beach mats do not fully extend pass the toe of the dune to the hard-packed sand(waterline).  Traveling through thick soft sand at the end of the current mats is impossible in a wheelchair or with a walker.  Unfortunately, the new, but marginally improved, Jekyll beach mats, which do not fully extend to the waterline, are essentially worthless to anyone in a wheelchair or on a walker.

The Oceanside beach should be Accessible for All to enjoy !!! Please sign the petition in support of extending the ADA compliant beach mats onto the beach. or call JIA 912-635-4075 or Governor Deal 4040-656-1776 and demand equal access for ALL to get onto the beach.

Thank you for your support, Widget

wheelonthebeach@gmail.com

Like: https://www.facebook.com/Wheelsonthebeach/?fref=ts

PLEASE WATCH YOUTUBE:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OOfrN9VCQ

Hello,


My name is Widget Richards. I live in Marietta, Ga. I was raised in a small town, Jesup, 40 miles from Georgia's park state, Jekyll Island. A mom of three children with disabilities.


It was during my May 2015 visit to Jekyll that an elderly lady described to me how she was unable to get her husband, who was in a wheelchair, onto the ocean side of the beach. Her story captured my heart to the point that I had to investigate the issue. She was absolutely right; there was NO hotel or public beach access that provided her husband, who was in a wheelchair, access onto the ocean side of the beach (the hard-packed sand/waterline).


Because of my efforts and the efforts of other disability advocates, Jekyll Island has made marginal improvements. Although improvements for accessing the beach have been made, JIA has still refused to provide the most critical, and obvious, component enabling access for the disabled.  The beach mats were only installed to the toe of the dunes. Therefore someone in a wheelchair would still have to travel through the thick soft sand to get to the hard-packed sand/waterline. The thick, soft sand makes this impossible for wheelchairs and walkers.


It's not about marginal improvements; it's about truly providing equal access for ALL.


Like: https://www.facebook.com/Wheelsonthebeach/?fref=ts


Thank you for caring


Widget

Update #27 years ago
Advocates had a meeting a couple of weeks ago on beach access and still NO changes... the Governor's comprehensive plan on accessibility on Jekyll Island was addressed including the beach access issue. Please fill out this survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JRL3D8Y
When this state park decides to make their beach wheelchair accessible I will update.
Update #17 years ago
Dear Supporters,
Nothing has changed. With Hurricane Matthew on the East Coast, the beach access for people in wheelchairs has gotten worse. I am still working very hard to get Jekyll Island's beach wheelchair accessible... Please share the petition.
Thank you for your support
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