Before starting our date, we met up to discuss places with close locations to keep the walking distance reasonable. We originally decided Addison’s, Missouri Theatre and Tiger Hotel would make for a good date to fit the three parts since they were all relatively close together.    However, while on our date we realized that the Missouri Theater was closed, so like you would on any other date, we improvised and tried to find something else that was open, which led us to Ragtag cinema. Here is what we found while Cripping the City.

We started our date at Addison’s in downtown Columbia. This restaurant is fairly centrally located so it seemed like a good starting point for our date. However, something to note, the restaurant is a little more on the pricey end. Upon arriving, we noticed that the entrance did not have any automatic doors and required someone to push them open. Getting past that minor setback, we realized that once inside, the waiting area was fairly small and would not be conducive to one, much less two, wheelchairs. Luckily, there was a good amount of seating readily available. The space in between the tables was wide, so it was easy to move from the entrance to our table. The tables were also at an optimal height to roll up to with ease. We faced slight challenges with the accessibility of the bathrooms. There was a hallway that separated the bathrooms from the rest of the restaurant that was very narrow and would not allow for much room when getting into the bathrooms. They did have wheelchair accessible stalls in both the men’s and the women’s restroom. These stalls came equipped with bars on the walls as well. The main issue we faced in the bathroom was the height of the paper towel dispenser and the soap dispenser, which was located in the far corner of the sink. Depending on an individual’s level of mobility, it might be difficult to reach either of these things, which are essential for sanitation. Overall, we found Addison’s to be a decent place to have a meal on a date. However, there are many areas in which they could have found ways to make their restaurant more accessible.

After eating we traveled down the broken and cracked sidewalks of downtown Columbia to Ragtag Cinema to catch a movie. Upon arriving, we took note that the door was heavy to open, but manageable. It was great that there are options for hearing assistance if needed in both theaters. The ticket booth is at an appropriate height to access and after paying for the tickets, we could go into the theaters. If the movie is playing in the north theater, there is much more options for wheelchair seating. Any seat could be moved and the entire room is accessible. The south theater is a little different, with a narrow hallway leading into it, the only wheelchair seating is in the front row, and the back rows are inaccessible. It should be noted that in the bar, the women’s labeled bathroom did not have any accessible stalls, only the men’s. However, near the north theater there is a women’s restroom that is readily accessible. Ragtag has its environmental limitations, but overall it would make for a good date. The space is certainly accessible in most places, but being aware of the inaccessible areas is important to know before going. 

For some private time after the movie, we headed to the Tiger Hotel to see if we could get a room. The entrance to the building had buttons that could be pushed to automatically open the doors. However, once we walked in, we immediately arrived upon a staircase—definitely not accessible. We looked around to find an elevator up to the lobby and found one down a short hallway. The hallway was clearly also being used as some storage space, making it a little more difficult to access the elevator. The elevator, which looked a bit more like the service elevator than one for guests, was large enough in size for one wheelchair, however if there happened to be two people on the date that used wheelchairs, it might be a little tight. Once we made our way up to the lobby, things seemed pretty accessible. There was a lot of open space, however the desk may have been a little tall for someone sitting in a chair. The hotel was full that weekend so unfortunately we were unable to see any of the rooms, but the person working the front desk told us that there were four ADA rooms. We also checked out the elevators that would lead guests up to the rooms. They entry to get on the elevator seemed pretty narrow, and once inside the elevator we found it was not very spacious. It would be very tight for two people using wheelchairs. On the plus side, the place to swipe your key to head up to your room was low and easily accessible. We also found that some of the amenities of the hotel, such as the gym or the bar beneath the lobby were not very accessible. There were stairs to reach the bar and very tight spaces to navigate in both locations. Overall, aside from a few spots that would be difficult to navigate or that weren’t as accessible, and as long as the ADA rooms were available during a stay, the Tiger Hotel seemed pretty accessible.

Thanks to this assignment, there’s a good chance we’ll notice the accessibility of places more. It’s surprising to see how inconvenient places are to those with disabilities, especially sidewalks. We have an able-bodied privilege that makes us unaware of issues like accessibility. We don’t notice them because we don’t look for them. Our date wasn’t too inaccessible, but there are still changes that need to occur. We hope in due time, these changes will take place. 

-Hailey, Faith, Amber, and Jared