A lift for the center’s pool and the addition of automatic doors are among some of the planned changes.
Ohio University officials said the Aquatic Center will undergo changes in order to meet standards outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a university news release.
Changes will include the installation of automatic door opening push plates and additional railing on the outside of the building, the addition of two lifts to the pool and the renovation of space in the men’s and women’s locker room to create ADA accessible bathrooms.
The renovations are slated to take place between July and August of this year.
Effective as of 2009, the ADA “prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation,” according to the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
“Currently, there is no ADA accessibility available for entrance into the Aquatic Center and within the building there is no accessibility to or accommodations for the bathrooms or locker rooms and no way for persons with disabilities to enter the pool itself,” according to the release.
The project is one of many university initiatives to improve ADA accessibility on campus, according to the release.
Other such projects include the renovation of Lindley Hall to include elevators and a handicap-accessible ramp.
The center opened in 1984 and houses OU’s men’s and women’s swimming teams, among other functions for the university and Athens communities.
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