Four years ago, the first year I went to the Quiz Bowl, I walked in. The next two years I walked with a cane. Last year I was out of town during the event. This year, of course, I went on my scooter. I was interested to see if the event would be accessible. In the past years, the spectators sat in bleachers on the upstairs level, having to climb stairs to get up there. I am sure there is an elevator somewhere in the high school, but I don't know of one specifically right there in The Tiger Den area.
Parking for The Tiger Den is around the back of the high school. Perhaps there are better handicap parking spaces in front of the school, but the pickings were slim around back. I was happy to see that near the handicap parking spot the street is level with the sidewalk.
I was alarmed, however, at how far away from the entrance the parking spot was. It was a beautiful evening and the weather was nice, but I would hate to have had to make that long ride in snow or rain.
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| All of those cars are parked within a 15 second walk to the entrance! |
The spectating area has been moved, it is now on the floor level in the bleachers. That was nice and that meant that there was no elevator needed. I knew that we would be sitting in bleachers and I cannot get up into a bleacher, so I had my friend who was going early try to find a chair that I could sit in. She had put a reserved sign on a chair, so I was able to sit right next to the bleachers where all my friends were sitting.
I do pause and wonder what would happen if I went to a packed basketball game at The Tiger Den. Do they have an area for seating for people with disabilities? I really have no idea; I'm sure that if I called in advance it could be arranged. If I were to go to a basketball game however, I certainly wouldn't wonder if there were restrooms available for the crowd. That is just an expectation that is met. It would be wonderful if seating for people with disabilities was also a normal expectation that is met.
Quiz bowl 2016 was a fun evening. Book Club Husbands did well, they are an intelligent group of guys, but no trophies were won this year. I will give my rating for The Tiger Den, but it is just the gymnasium part of the high school. To truly give a rating, I will need to visit the entire high school.
Warsaw High School: The Tiger Den =***(three out of five stars for accessibility)
+ handicap parking spot was the same level as the sidewalk
+ bleacher option on the main floor, not only on the upstairs level
+ chairs are available, not only bleacher seating
- handicap parking much too far away from the entrance
- no button/automatic door
- would that chair have been available had I not had a friend save it for me?
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