Accessibility Awareness and District Planning
Overview
This is a system-wide initiative to improve the accessibility of all parks and facilities on Bainbridge.
The resulting Transition Plan will identify physical and programmatic barriers to access, such as handicap-accessible doorways or appropriate guidance for visiting parks or participating despite physical challenges.
Status
Beginning in the Spring of 2025 and through 2026, a third-party expert consultant team will report to the community the conditions, correction remedies, and cost estimates within a systematic approach to implementing accessibility improvements.
A critical component of a Transition Plan is public participation, particularly from community members who are aware of existing barriers to access. It is park patrons, after all, who are aware of access challenges and have insight into effective remedies for the Park District to address through the Transition Plan.
We have teamed up with the City of Bainbridge Island, which is also developing a Transition Plan regarding access to public facilities. We have developed a shared outreach webpage. Our goal is to efficiently involve island residents and then request stakeholder expertise at a shared community forum, planned for Fall 2026. The survey is open now through September.
Contact
Feel free to contact the appropriate project manager to get involved and to answer questions.
Park District: ADA Transition Plan Project Manager
Matt Keough
mattk@biparks.org
City ADA Transition Plan Project Manager
Anshu Wahi
awahi@bainbridgewa.gov
Resources
Both agencies are working on their own individual ADA Transition Plans, but have a combined webpage, comprehensive survey, and interactive map: