Hi, All -

The Accessible Venues Project venue-request letter is now in United Spinal's Action Online - cut and pasted here (http://www.unitedspinal.org/publications/action/
2006/05/01/letters-to-the-editor-may-2006/). Thought you'd like to see ... thanks.

- Miriam Danar

United Spinal Association Salutes our Veterans

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: May 2006

Knowledge Wanted: Accessible Venues Project

I live in New York City and have begun The Accessible Venues Project otherwise known as Pubs 'n Clubs!). I thought United Spinal members might have some good ideas, so am seeking your help.

Here's the deal: I get together with friends for smallish meetings and largish parties after work on a fairly regular basis and have noticed there are very few venues accessible to people in wheelchairs and scooters. I see no comprehensive listing on the net, in bookstores, or anywhere else, of places like lounges, pubs, casual restaurants, and trendy coffeehouses, or larger spaces like clubs, which are accessible.

Hence, the Accessible Venues Project. Along with some volunteers, I'm compiling a MegaList of Pubs 'n Clubs. For now, I'm concentrating on the five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island). The work is already underway, and will be made easily available to the public.

Specifically, I'm looking for:

• Casual lounges/bars/restaurants/trendy, cool coffee shops for small get-togethers, and

• Larger spaces (clubs, lounges) for bigger parties, for people both in and not in wheelchairs and scooters.

This list will be inclusive of folks with low or no sight and of members of the Deaf community. If anyone wishes to contribute their experiences and ideas of places like I've described which are "proven winners," I'd be very grateful. Feel free to e-mail me at events@dfnyc.org with places or ideas. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Miriam Danar, New York, New York