Americans With Disabilities Act Transition Plan

Americans with Disabilities Act

In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

Transition Plan

In early 2015 the Austin City Council authorized the creation of a PARD ADA Transition Plan. The primary aim of the plan is to provide a framework towards providing facilities that are accessible and welcoming for all citizens.

• Austin Parks and Recreation Department ADA Transition Plan (PDF)
• Appendix 6 Facility Reports (PDF)
• Appendix 7 Parks Reports by Name:
  • Parks A-L (PDF)
  • Parks M-Z (PDF) 

Plan Progress

View the current available data for ADA-accessible programs and services: ADA Accessibility Percentage

Employment

The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA.

Effective Communication

The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in PARD programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments.

Modifications to Policies and Procedures

The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.  For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in PARD offices, even where pets are generally prohibited.

PARD will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.

Contact Information

Make a Request

If you require auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, contact PARD at austinparksADA@austintexas.gov or the PARD Inclusion Unit inclusion@austintexas.gov as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.

The ADA does not require the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

Report an Issue

If you have a question, complaint, or concern pertaining to ADA accessibility at an Austin park, facility, or program, please contact:

• David Ondich, City of Austin ADA Program Administrator by phone at 974-3256 or ada@austintexas.gov

          OR

• Marilu Tavagna, PARD ADA Project Coordinator, by phone at 512-974-9441 or austinparksADA@austintexas.gov

For formal grievances, please include a completed ADA Complaint Form (PDF, 232KB)

Upon request, reasonable accommodation will be provided in completing this form, or copies of the form will be provided in alternate formats.

Other Resources

• City of Austin ADA Enforcement Program 
• ADA Media and Links