Downfall of the Bricks: Are they pulling us together or apart?
Photo via The New Political staff
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees equal opportunity for employment, community participation, and goods and services. The law allows for equal opportunity for people with disabilities and other civil rights concerns, protecting them from discrimination within the workplace, in their public communities and in government service.
Under the law, Community Integration is mandated to provide services to community members who have disabilities in their public and private lives. Services include Community-Based, Segregated Settings and help to maintain the right to service and government assistance. Community Integration is important for those with physical and mental disabilities because it ensures their right to equal opportunity to live, work, and play within their communities. But what happens when Community Integration is ignored?
The bricks have a long history in Athens, however, they have brought up many issues for ADA Accessibility. Athens citizens who use wheelchairs have spent years fighting City Council Disability Commissioners for the local government to improve the sidewalks and crosswalks in order to make it easier for people to get across, yet not much has changed.
The deep-rooted connection to Athens’ bricks and their history, in a way, goes against ADA Community Integration, because City Council has not met the public community needs that comply with those regulations. The Athens City Commission on Disabilities hosts the annual event to open questions for discussion about accessibility from city representatives, but more importantly, focusing on where issues of accessibility remain and need improvement.
Ohio University health psychologist Allyson Hughes and former professor Dr. Carolyn Bailey Lewis, work with the Athens Disability Commission. Each spoke on how Ohio U represents and misrepresents students with disabilities. Hughes addressed the protest over the Walk, Talk and Roll event, where community members used chalk and spray paint on places around Athens to show what places are and are not ADA Accessible.
Hughes says, “The great thing about it is it gets people talking. So even if they didn't attend the event, they can see the chalk around uptown and discuss it.” ADA Accessibility on Ohio U’s campus has received backlash throughout the years, because of the misrepresentation that remains. Lewis, who uses a wheelchair in Athens, says, “I'm always avoiding a hole, avoiding a particular curb cut. The bricks make it very difficult. We need the stamped bricks.”
During this year’s seventh annual Athens Walk, Talk and Roll event, this issue highlighted the ever-growing need for more community integration in Athens. An Instagram post by ‘‘athens_lens’’ photos and videos was shared from the event, putting a spotlight on the ignorance from the City of Athens. Further, the journalist states, “It’s not just inconvenient. It’s dangerous. It’s exclusion. It’s a violation of the ADA.” The post shows 45 people attempting to cross Court Street in a manual wheelchair, but none of them accomplished the feat.
Later that day, there were spray-painted ADA symbols on street signs to show the amount of noncompliant routes on Ohio U’s campus. The lack of initiative in Athens has led to the dehumanization of people with disabilities; everyone deserves to go about the city they live in with no barriers, yet those who use a wheelchair or other walking aids are removed from that. Unfortunately, a lot of historical cities have the same problem.
Steve Wright, an urban accessibility and policy blogger, backs up this fact, writing, “The massive task of redesigning housing, parks, and transportation… is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century.” Wright also highlights the need for Universal Design so that cities can be comfortable for people who live there and easy to use for everyone.
The symbols marked in uptown are accessibility symbols with a person in a wheelchair with an ‘X’ marked over it, and other variations as well. Protest, advocacy, and raising awareness are all aimed to do; to show people the issues people with disabilities spend time fighting for in commission meetings and at the courthouse. Adding to this, Hughes states, “It was this beautiful event where we got to connect with [people] and show what we have to offer, but also [brought] together a sense of community just being out there and saying ‘enough is enough’.”
Hughes and Lewis both work with the commission to create events like this one, as well as an award created to acknowledge a community member who has worked hard to represent those who have disabilities. Lewis commented on last week's event, stating, “I thought it was a very effective event.” Many students and community members signed their petition to keep Medicaid and Medicare protected in Ohio. She references the importance of advocacy in this because those who use Medicare need the assistance because they're not always able to maintain employment, medical bills, or other expenses.
The crosswalk, inaccessible for 45 people to cross the street in a manual wheelchair, leads to Passion Works Studio, a creative organization for artists with developmental disabilities, inhibiting some people from getting there comfortably. When presented with this factor, Lewis says, “[It’s] a wonderful place where people who live with disabilities create wonderful things, but they can't cross the street.” Hughes also points out that the crosswalks that lead to local businesses and restaurants are inaccessible, which could impact their ability to make the money they need from the community.
Ohio U works to recognize students on campus with disabilities through the Student Accessibility Office. Director for student accessibility Christina Perez notes in a staff report the importance of diversity and brings light to the strengths of those who persevere through barriers, but wants to raise awareness on how to make Ohio U’s campus environment accessible for all students. Perez and the Office of Student Accessibility aim to connect students with any resources they need, as well as provide counseling services, job assistance, and internships.
Throughout recent years, more and more students have called for improvements to accessibility on campus. Over the winter, Athens city claimed to fix the crosswalk on Court and Union to make it more accessible, lowering the curbs and fixing some holes. Although the bricks remain, the crosswalks are still inaccessible. Hughes mentions the mayor’s involvement in this: “He [said], [they] fixed it, everything’s great, and then we walked out and [saw] it wasn't fixed.”
“With the curb cuts… [if someone] has low vision or blindness and needs assistance with directionality… blind folks in the community could be directed into traffic, and they haven’t fixed it, and they've known about it,” Hughes states it's very clear where the communication issues and broken promises lie.
Athens is a very open community, with engagement and advocacy; interestingly, the city isn’t motivated to resolve the problem and create a more inclusive environment for those with disabilities.
Hughes points out not feeling heard. “It’s just hard for us, as a disability commission, and we get frustrated because we have worked and communicated for years to try and get some movement on this, and instead there’s a lot of politics involved, [so] we often get pushed off which is not okay because it further marginalizes a marginalized group.”
In addition to this, Lewis responds, “We have gone and held our case to council two or three times, they've made headway, but [repairs] need to be done correctly. Lewis also points out that these barriers not only significantly affect those who use wheelchairs, but also a mother who wants to go uptown with a stroller, they may just avoid uptown in general if it isn't comfortable for access.
Inaccessibility everywhere, even in the Athens community, reveals the deeper systemic issues. According to Hughes, “If we want to have a truly inclusive environment, and be a city that is supposedly welcoming to people of all identities, at this point we’re not because we’re leaving people out.” In the historical context of Athens, removing or replacing the bricks is a hot-button political issue, but does history mean more than inclusion?
In 2023, community members voiced concerns about Athens’ failure to meet accessibility standards, highlighting ongoing issues with infrastructure projects that ignore or delay ADA-compliant improvements. Despite recommendations from community members and commissioners, many suggestions have remained under review, unimplemented, or altered in ways that dilute their effectiveness.
The major point of contention is the plan to replace historic brick crosswalks with stamped concrete. Residents argued this would undermine both accessibility and the aesthetic value of Athens’ iconic brick streets. They proposed reusing or properly installing existing pavers, which are more durable and smoother for wheelchair users. The city defended its plan by stating stamped concrete would enhance mobility access, though it offered no indication of reconsidering the use of real brick. Lewis likes the idea of preserving the bricks because of their expansive history, and believes stamped bricks will make it much easier to cross the street.
Multiple suggestions called for two-tiered sidewalks to provide direct, step-free access to businesses with elevated entrances, particularly along West State and West Washington Streets. These were supported by existing city recommendations, yet officials only stated the idea is being reviewed, with no commitment to action or a timeframe for implementation.
Concerning Community integration in Athens as it applies to ADA standards, Lewis mentions there are a lot of people who are committed to getting other people to realize the importance of doing what needs to be done in Athens, and making sure it's done correctly.
It builds a sense of community to feel represented, especially where you work and study, and the neighborhood you live in. The direct impact of inaccessibility removes those who need assistance from the picture. Right now, ADA Community Integration and the regulations that back it are not being seen by Athens City commissioners or city representatives. Hughes, Lewis, and many others reiterate the importance of community engagement and awareness.
“We’ve had some great advocacy on our end, [and] on the city’s end, [but] it’s really just not working at this point. It’s much like any [social] movement in history, the onus is always on the person struggling the most.”