Editor's note: This is the first in a series examining accessibility in Fond du Lac. The series will use input from readers and local experts. The first topic covers physical disabilities and community members who use mobility aids. An upcoming story will examine accessibility for conditions and disorders such as dementia, autism, PTSD and invisible disabilities.
FOND DU LAC – How accessible is Fond du Lac? We asked, and the community answered.
Many people in the Fond du Lac area live with or care for someone with a disability, and they have to navigate their community with an eye for whether their wheelchair will fit in an establishment, whether parking will suit their needs and whether staff will be accommodating.
The United States Census Bureau includes six questions related to disability in its American Community Survey. Fond du Lac County's estimated population from the 2020 Decennial Census was 104,154.
As of the 2022 estimates, 3.5% of that population reported hearing difficulty, 1.6% reported vision difficulty, 6.6% reported cognitive difficulty, 5.6% reported ambulatory difficulty, 2% reported difficulty taking care of themselves and 5.6% — more than 5,800 community members — reported difficulty living independently.
Readers share their accessibility stories
Streetwise asked readers last month what they think about accessibility in Fond du Lac, and what they'd like to see in the community.
Responses emphasized the need for businesses to have wheelchair-accessible entrances and doors that can be remotely operated for people in wheelchairs or scooters, and for other people who may not be able to open doors themselves.
This is especially the case for businesses where the door is not in the line of sight of employees who can help, including the post office, one reader said.
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Anna Huck said her mom was diagnosed in February 2023 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive disease that kills motor neurons, which causes the gradual loss of ability to eat, speak, move and breath, and eventually results in death.
She started with canes and walkers as mobility aids, and is now in a power wheelchair while the disease has stripped her of her ability to live independently. Huck said her and her mom's experiences are the same, because "regardless of how my mom has ever functioned physically, we are one family and one team battling the disease together."
In the year-and-a-half since her mom was diagnosed, accessibility issues they have run into included narrow entryways that don't fit wheelchairs, unkempt or nonexistent curbs and sidewalks, restaurants and other establishments with exclusively high-top seating, and shops with racks that are too close together to maneuver through.
"Many people don’t understand how much planning goes into where and how my mom can experience the Fond du Lac area and beyond — we’re always scoping out entryways, bathrooms, seating, distance, crowds, and the list goes on," Huck said.
She added they're limited in parking: they need side or back loading as close as possible to where they need to be, and street parking restricts one side of the vehicle, as well as the back if someone parks behind them.
"In a perfect world, there would be a lot of handicap accessible parking in a variety of formats, all reasonably close to an establishment, all with plenty of room to navigate around the vehicle, or at the very least, room for pick-up and drop-off limited to those who need it (not your average person who doesn’t want to get rained on walking from their car into the grocery store)," she said.
Wins for the community include outdoor seating options, accommodating staff
Some businesses have limitations in creating disability-friendly spaces, including cost, historical preservation and rental agreements, and Huck said they understand and do their best to give businesses the chance to work with them to ensure overall comfort and a positive experience as customers.
Huck said several area businesses go above and beyond for accommodations, between the staff and the business itself, including Schmitty’s, Urban Fuel Coffee Station, Roepke’s Village Inn, Red Cabin at Green Acres, TJ’s Harbor Restaurant, Wendt’s on the Lake and Ziegler Winery.
The Hive owner Erika Daleiden works with Huck's family to ensure her mom can enjoy bingo and other events, keeps a walker on hand for those who need it and held an “Ales for ALS” promotion to raise money for ALS research. While there are a few bumps on the way into the building, staff or patrons are always on hand to help out.
More wins include well-spaced vendors at the Downtown Fond du Lac Farmers Market and the paved trails through Lakeside Park and the Fond du Lac Loop.
Outside of the immediate Fond du Lac area, Huck commends the Ripon community and Ripon Chamber of Commerce Director Mandy Kimes, who was "wonderful to work with" when Huck reached out for a list of recommendations that are handicap-friendly or accessible.
ADA compliance is a start, though businesses could benefit from more education
The Americans with Disabilities Act, the federal civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination, has regulations to ensure people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else, which includes employment, shopping, and participation in state and local government programs.
However, businesses and other establishments have the opportunity to go above and beyond to be inclusive. This would involve thinking of all types of disability, including physical, vision, hearing, sensory and more, Fond du Lac County Aging and Disability Resource Center Manager Jaclyn Jaeckels said.
"A business can be fully ADA compliant but still not feel fully inclusive to someone — regardless of age or disability," she said.
Huck has noticed this with public bathrooms, with the ADA standard being the bare minimum. For her family, it takes one or two extra people to assist her mom in the bathroom, plus an additional assistive device.
"Imagine: a large power wheelchair, three people and what we call a 'human dolly,' all fitting in one handicap stall or family restroom," she said. "There’s never enough space, considering mom’s chair hardly fits on its own."
This is in addition to some bathrooms having narrow entries or low toilets with no backs, she said. One of the most accommodating bathrooms in the area, however, is The Hive.
When it comes to other things that could be implemented for the community, Jaeckels said she'd like to see education for businesses about why accessibility could be helpful to them, including an explanation on the target population and people who may not be able to patronize them.
"This might be something as simple as doing early morning 'sensory' hours like some grocery stories have implemented, to higher level construction things that make it easier for folks to get in and out of the building," she said.
What resources are available for people with disabilities and their loved ones?
The ADRC offers resources for individuals and caregivers, including benefits, transportation, nutrition programs, youth and transition programs, and a Dementia Care Specialist.
The Arc Fond du Lac offers education and social and enrichment programs, as well as transportation services, including accessible vehicle rentals.
"We can’t say enough kind words about our friends at the Arc," Huck said. "From providing a comprehensive driver’s training, to working with us one-on-one for scheduling needs (plus any other questions or needs we have), the Arc has been a top-notch resource for us."
The independent living center that services Fond du Lac County is Options for Independent Living, based in Green Bay and covering northeastern Wisconsin and the Fox Valley, and works to empower people with disabilities to live independent and productive lives.
Led and staffed primarily by people with disabilities, Options provides resources, training and advocacy to support people in its service area.
For more information, visit optionsil.org.
State-level resources are available on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website and include benefits specialists, an assistive technology program and the IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) program.
Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com.
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