 |
 |
Joan and Jack Martin asked on July 12th for suggestions about building a long wheelchair ramp at the back of their house: >Is there anywhere on the WWW that could give us the criteria and pointers >on what to do and what to avoid while building the ramp? I am a member of a Lions club that has built numerous ramps for people in the community. Prior to Parkinson's (PTP), I assisted in a number of these projects. There is nothing greater than getting out with some like-minded people and, in the course of a day or two, accomplishing something both tangible and useful. The best was the ramp we built for a little girl with spina bifida - it literally gave her her independence to get around with her hand-powered wagon.. To answer your specific question, although I could you give you some anecdotal observations, I think the best answer to your question is a) the National Building Code and b) your municipal standards (bylaws). These prescribe slope, width, surface texture, etc.. If you follow both of their requirements, you can't go wrong - the ramp will be strong and useable. If expense is a problem don't hesitate to ask a local service club to help out - Shriner, Kinsman, Rotary or Lions. They love to do this kind of thing and often have the skills, manpower and financial resources to assist. Good luck. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Robin Ruffell, Victoria, B.C. + + email: [log in to unmask] + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++