Deb Hodge and James Evans arrived at an accessible campsite at Paradise Point State Park in southwest Washington last May and quickly noticed something was off.
The site was very far from the bathroom and had uneven paths and deep ruts in the camping area – all of which is unusual for a facility deemed accessible under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
The uneven surfaces caused 65-year-old Evans, who has a disability, to fall and twist his back and need medical treatment. The couple returned back to their home in Oregon “disappointed to say the least,” said Hodge, who filed a complaint arguing the site violated the ADA.
That complaint ignited an investigation and a deal, announced Thursday, requiring Washington to identify and fix ADA violations at all of its state parks. The settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice will also require the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to come up with a formal process to maintain current accessible facilities and construct new ones.
The agreement was overwhelming to Hodge, who said she was not expecting all of the state’s parks to be reviewed and repaired because of her one complaint.
“One little mouse can squeak and make a difference,” she told the Standard. “I can’t tell you how good it makes me feel.”
Under federal law, public facilities must meet certain requirements to allow access to people with disabilities. After the complaint, an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office found Washington’s state parks were out of compliance with those federal requirements at some of its parks.
The investigation also found that Washington does not have a formal procedure for identifying and addressing maintenance of accessible features in parks. It also does not have a routine to ensure new construction and alterations are accessible.
As part of the agreement, the department has 90 days to propose new policies and procedures for constructing new accessible parks and maintaining old ones.
Over the next year, the state must provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a list of noncompliant buildings and facilities and a plan and timeline for making them compliant. Fixes should start as soon as Oct. 1, 2025, according to the settlement.
The state parks will work on the updates over the next seven years and must report its progress to the federal government every six months.
U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a statement that Washington’s park department realized quickly the need to fix many of their ADA facilities, and some of the work identifying non-compliant areas has already been done.
“This agreement will ensure that access for those with disabilities is a factor that is addressed in all park projects going forward,” Gorman added.
As part of the agreement, the department must also establish a grievance procedure for those wishing to complain about accessibility issues, and it must post information about inspections, complaints and fixes on its website.
Washington State Parks Director Diana Dupuis said in a statement that the department appreciates the collaboration with the federal government to help improve accessibility at state parks.
“At Washington State Parks, we believe that the outdoors are for everyone’s enjoyment,” Dupuis said. “The agency continues to make progress on increasing accessibility, with more work to come.”
