How to Make a Pond Accessible

Ponds offer a variety of enjoyable experiences to people who enjoy nature. Providing accessibility for disabled individuals offers those same experiences to all people, regardless of limitations. Creating accessibility to a pond often involves providing hard surface paths and other modifications. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offers some ways to accomplish this.

• 1

  Create a hard surface path--concrete, pavement or wood--from the parking area to the pond area. Path width should allow wheelchairs to pass one other going in opposite directions. Locate the end of the path at the water's edge and provide a level viewing surface for multiple viewers.

• 2

  Add accessible picnic pads for picnic tables suited for those using wheelchairs at the water's edge. These picnic pads may also include grills, fire rings or other campground items modified for use by mobility-challenged individuals.

• 3

  Build an accessible fishing pier or dock, if applicable. These docks, complete with safety rails, extend over the water and offer fishing opportunities to those who can't access rough shorelines.

• 4

  Connect all accessible features of the pond with the hard surface paths to create a pond-side package of accessible features.