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SALT LAKE CITY — One in 4 Utah adults reports having a permanent disability; 1 in 3 Utahns is under 18 years old; 1 in 10 Utahns is older than 65 years old, approximately 10% to 20% of days in the year are snowy or wet in the state; 3 in 4 Utahns do not have a regular 9-to-5 job and 3% to 5% of Salt Lake City households do not have an automobile.
These are the parameters Tom Millar, of the Salt Lake Planning Division, has worked with to expand accessibility throughout Salt Lake. He was awarded at an event kicking off Disability Pride Month on Monday for his extensive work.
"As I was thinking about this award and what I can say, what came to mind was this phrase, 'accessibility and inclusivity are not luxuries. Accommodation only requires work. When we forget that the people who we consider normal or common are actually quite uncommon,'" said Millar.
"Designing for ourselves — whoever we may be, whether we have a disability, whether we do not, does not work — we have to think about everybody. Designing for those that we think will be using our public infrastructure does not work. Designing for the best of times or the sunny days does not work. Designing for whatever we perceive as normal or common absolutely does not work," said Millar. "Everyone: every ability, every age and every circumstance — I urge us to consider universal design and inclusivity as the floor and not the ceiling."
Ahead of the event, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall signed and released a proclamation recognizing Disability Pride Month. It was posted to social media and, at the event, acknowledging the barriers faced by people with disabilities and the need to continue forward.
"Salt Lake City acknowledges the barriers and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, including societal attitudes, built and architectural barriers, lack of accessibility, discrimination, and unequal opportunities," read the proclamation, in part. "It is essential to promote a society that embraces disability as an integral and valued part of human diversity, where all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and equality, and where barriers to participation and inclusion are eliminated."
Disability Pride Month reflects the disability movement's history and successes. It reminds us to keep building a more accessible, equitable Salt Lake City. The work isn't done.
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) July 1, 2024
Our Accessibility & Disability Commission is vital to executing this. I'm grateful for their service. pic.twitter.com/QXeT2iDYh4
"Events like these are powerful reminders of our city's strength or resilience, the diversity of the individuals with disabilities and all abilities, help shape and bring more a unique experience to our community," said Salt Lake City Councilwoman Eva Lopez Chavez. "I'm committed to creating spaces where everyone's input and their unique, lived experiences thoughtfully considered value built, we must elevate all of our residents' experiences and stories and perspectives. This is vital to shaping a more inclusive and equitable public city."
The commitment of city government and its leaders to shaping the city, as it grows, was evident in the Salt Lake City Accessibility and Disability Commission's presence at Monday's event, which pointed to recent projects to expand accessibility.
"Designing for disability should open the box and let creative fun ideas flow, the ability and desire to understand how to create welcoming, engaging and exciting spaces for people with disabilities," said Ashley Lichtle, ADA coordinator for the mayor's office.
She became emotional before listing recent conversations in expanding accessible playgrounds across the city.
"Non-to-door measurements, toilet sizes is what access is opening up a fully accessible door to these conversations and asking hard the hard questions and learning to do better, not just the bare minimum is what action is," Lichtle said.
