Well it was very frustrating on the 4th of July. We went to go swimming at the Davis Square pool and Pete maneuvered me onto the pool lift chair only to find that there was no battery and it wasn’t working. It’s bad enough that everyone is watching and now I have to get off of it and wheel away. I got upset and started to cry. Nobody was able to see. We left and went to the other pool.

Now we’re at the Cottage Park pool, same thing. I got on the lift and there was only one bar left on the battery. Another resident came over to help, to no avail. He said he was going to call someone. This pool, unlike the other, has railings with steps. There are two sets about 8 feet apart. I can make my way down the steps but needed help getting to the next set of steps. A very nice lady offered help and between her and Pete I was able to get in the water.

I made a new friend, but why is everything so hard. It’s always challenging and I feel so frustrated. Sometimes I feel like giving up. When I got back to the house I wrote some emails to the HOA and homeowners association regarding the pool lifts. I got an apology and update saying that the Davis Square pool lift is broken but the Cottage Park pool lift is charged and good to go.

On checking some ADA laws, surprisingly the HOA doesn’t have to provide the lifts. This is because the community is a private one. Only public places have to adhere to ADA laws. Unless the public is invited to use the pools, there’s nothing I can do.

On the other hand, the CAR, Community Access Room, is also not handicapped accessible. There is a full staircase, no elevator. How this being new construction, they got away with it, I don’t know. I am not able to attend meetings or any of the clubs that meet there. Their resolution is that I can participate through Zoom. That is not the same at all.

I do have a way to get around this. ADA laws say that if they are bringing in outside people for talks, classes, or anything, that makes it a public place and they need to make it accessible. Again, I’ll have to fight for it, God forbid it would be easy.