[Ansteorra] SCA, the ADA, and all of us

[Chass]

     The A.D.A. is exactly what I think it is, it is a law that is
supposed to gurantee EQUAL ACCESS and EQUAL ENJOYMENT. Having said that
I have been asked to contact the Department of Tourism and talk to my
friend here in Oklahoma (by the way which is where Admiral Haddock lives
and he said Northern Region not north Texas). This is something simple
you could do...... but I have agreed to do it so I can get you a list of
sites. Yes some sites have restrictions and some are more costly. Let me
point something out to you I tried to do here in the north to deaf ears.
They scream and holler a site has to allow Horsie events. The event they
were defending I counted the horses.. 4. Only 4 horses. And supposedly
that was a BIG turn out. Most Horse runners show up alone or as a
couple. Then I counted the people in wheelchairs (most having to have to
get help to get around the site sucks), there were 8 people in
wheelchairs. People who use wheelchairs usually travel with a group of
people so as to make sure they can get around (which shouldn't have to
happen but it does). Hmm so to make 4 people happy they thumbed their
nose at around 25 people. I know my group wont go to an event without
me... that knocks out about (give or take because of work) 10 people at
any given time mayhaps more. 

     I didn't say it was not difficult to find sites... but it does take
looking, which is what we are complaining about. Even when sites are
offered they are not looked into. How do I know you may ask. I call and
talk to the sites before I offer them up and when I call back and ask if
anyone from the SCA had called and get a NO...... 

Chass Brown A.K.A. 

Charinthalis Del Sans of the portable chariot. 

Honorable Recruiter of the House of the Red Shark.

Muddeler of Mead


-----Original Message-----
From: ansteorra-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:ansteorra-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Chiara
Francesca
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:06 AM
To: Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc.
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] SCA, the ADA, and all of us

Greetings Ld Adm Robert Haddock

You say that you know there are sites in North Texas that are ADA
compliant.

Have you ever actually driven out, walked the site, and met with the
owners 
of the sites?

Have you priced out all these sites?

Have you actually combed through the site to confirm they are ADA
compliant?

We just spent the last 6 months updating our site search spreadsheet for

Steppes Warlord. Our Business and populace meetings have been very 
passionate of late when discussing the issue of moving much less any
other 
issue.

We found promising camping sites. For us running Steppes Warlord that
means 
that out of 20 sites the promising sites allowed Equestrian, Archery,
light 
fighting, heavy figthing, and camping for a minimum of 500. Those are
the 
basics you look for first.

But the reality of it is, this is what we found for a majority of them 
before we even look at minimum ADA compliance:

1) They are all rented a year or more in advance.

2) They start at 3000.00 for a day (most groups budget a _maximum_ of 
1500.00 for the whole weekend just for a site with a hall, not including
the 
per head charge, porta pots, security guards, etc.)

3) They do not allow Equestrian.

4) If they allow Equestrian they do not allow Archery, and vice versa.

5) They have a 10pm curfew and lock their gate.

6) They ban alcohol. Unless you want to hire an off duty police officer,
1 
per 50 or so participants, depending on the site owner you may be able
to 
have 1 for every 100 participants.

7) They do not allow pets.

8) Some do not allow tenting, you must stay in their cabins so they site
can 
comply with their federal grant funding.

9) No outside food can be brought in, you must pay for their catering 
service.

I could go on, and have but frankly I loath long emails and know that
many 
of us do not read past the first paragraph of any email.

My Point.
We have looked for ADA compliant sites to the degree of what you are
wanting 
(there are different levels). By we I mean Event Stewards, Seneschals, 
Barons, and do not forget our Baroness'. To book most (not all but about
90% 
of them) ADA compliant sites means that we have them for one day, no 
camping, no alcohol, no fighting, no equestrian, no archery, no feast,
and 
believe it or not, no animals of any kind no matter what their purpose
is.

ADA is not what you think it is.

Please take care who you chastise and why. Do personal research, be the 
leader you expect to see out of the rest of us, email event stewards,
email 
all the others you list before you set off on a quest to fight a
windmill 
that has already been conquored and is actually a hand held fan that is
very 
easy to work with.

Chiara Francesca