One of our missions at the First Universalist Church of Denver is to raise awareness, empower change, and provide resources to aid Unitarian Universalist communities like our own to become barrier-free and inclusive. Please read the ways we have tried to do this in our grounds, programming, and communications.

We invite disabled people to be full participants in assessing our building and ministries for barriers to participation.

Signage

• Signs are mounted with centerline 60-inches from the floor
• Signs include Tactile or Braille formats
• There is a fire alarm system with both flashing lights and audible signals

 

Entryway

• The main entrance is accessible
• There is a covered drop off area where people can keep their equipment dry when it is raining
• The entrance provides direct access to the main floor, lobby, and elevator
• All rooms are available by routes within the building that are at least 38-inches wide
• Routes have space for a person using a wheelchair to reverse direction

 

Elevators and Lifts

• There is an elevator that provides access to the basement
• The call buttons in the hallway are no higher than 42-inches
• Call buttons are marked with raised text and braille
• The elevator can be used without assistance
• There is clear space for a person using a wheelchair to approach and use the elevator
• The controls are between 15- and 48-inches high

 

Grounds/Outside

• There is clear signage that directs members and visitors to accessible entrances
• There is a policy to remove snow
• Curbs on the route have curb cuts at drives, parking, and drop-offs
• There is an accessible playground
• The memorial garden is accessible

 

Interior Movement

• The routes of travel to all rooms do not require stairs
• The carpeting is low-pile, tightly woven, and securely attached along edges
• The doors have more than a 32-inch clear opening
• The door handles are less than 48-inches high
• Door handles are operable with a closed fist

 

Ramps

• The slopes of ramps are no greater than 1:12 (Slope is a given as a ration of the height to the length, at least one foot of ramp length is need for each inch in height)
• The ramps longer than 6-feet have railings on both sides
• The railings are sturdy and between 34- and 38-inches high
• The width between railings or curbs are more than 36-inches
• The ramp is non-slip
• There is a 5-foot long level landing  at the top and bottom
• The ramp rises no more than 30-inches between landings

 

Parking

• We have accessible spaces
• We have a parking space accessible for a van
• The accessible spaces are adjacent to the accessible entrance
• There is adequate lighting in the parking areas so that people can see and use their equipment
• It is possible to get from the parking area to the building and vice versa without using stairs
• There is a clearly marked drop-off space

 

Public Transportation

• Public transportation is available
• There is a sidewalk from the bus or metro stop to the church building

 

Sanctuary

• There are “pew cuts” for people with wheelchairs, scooters, service dogs, and/or walkers throughout the sanctuary and classroom areas so that disabled people can sit with their family and friends
• There is seating space available, with extra legroom, for people who have casts, use walkers, etc.
• The chancel is accessible
• The choir area is accessible
• There are audio loops, captioning, and other accommodations available for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing
• There are large print hymnals and bulletins available

Multiplatform Services

• Online services and meetings are made accessible through captioning and visual descriptions
• We have a hearing loop for our Sunday services. Switch hearing aid or CI to t-coil or request headphones