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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 13:45:28 GMT -6
Please do me a favour and continue to monitor this (able-bodied people in wheelchair seating). I will be doing likewise. If it continues for a few games, I think a major complaint to True North would be in order. Will do. Sight line issue aside (wheelchair or able bodied makes no difference to my problem), I'm a little concerned there may be an equal access issue. I'm not sure what you mean by "equal access issue". All I know is that although I am sympathetic to your sightline issue, I certainly DO NOT want them to start telling me that I cannot park my wheelchair up against the railing because THEN they are going to have a big fight on their hands.
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Post by myusernamesucks on Sept 21, 2011 14:02:45 GMT -6
Will do. Sight line issue aside (wheelchair or able bodied makes no difference to my problem), I'm a little concerned there may be an equal access issue. I'm not sure what you mean by "equal access issue". All I know is that although I am sympathetic to your sightline issue, I certainly DO NOT want them to start telling me that I cannot park my wheelchair up against the railing because THEN they are going to have a big fight on their hands. All I meant by equal access is are there able bodied people consuming the tickets set aside for those in wheelchairs and as a result are those people being denied access. If they simply move the railing back 18-24", the sight line issue would be mostly alleviated and you would be able to be right against the railing with no issues. Happiness all around.
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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 14:06:30 GMT -6
I'm not sure what you mean by "equal access issue". All I know is that although I am sympathetic to your sightline issue, I certainly DO NOT want them to start telling me that I cannot park my wheelchair up against the railing because THEN they are going to have a big fight on their hands. All I meant by equal access is are there able bodied people consuming the tickets set aside for those in wheelchairs and as a result are those people being denied access. If they simply move the railing back 18-24", the sight line issue would be mostly alleviated and you would be able to be right against the railing with no issues. Happiness all around. Okay, I see. I'm just not sure you can move the railing back that far without making it difficult/impossible for wheelchairs to drive behind me to get in and out.
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Post by myusernamesucks on Sept 21, 2011 14:16:51 GMT -6
All I meant by equal access is are there able bodied people consuming the tickets set aside for those in wheelchairs and as a result are those people being denied access. If they simply move the railing back 18-24", the sight line issue would be mostly alleviated and you would be able to be right against the railing with no issues. Happiness all around. Okay, I see. I'm just not sure you can move the railing back that far without making it difficult/impossible for wheelchairs to drive behind me to get in and out. We had a pretty long look at it last night and I think it can be done, but I'm certainly no expert on it. I just have this sinking feeling that I've made a horrible mistake with regards to my seat selection and am going to have a severely dilluted game day experience going forward.
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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 14:25:33 GMT -6
Okay, I see. I'm just not sure you can move the railing back that far without making it difficult/impossible for wheelchairs to drive behind me to get in and out. We had a pretty long look at it last night and I think it can be done, but I'm certainly no expert on it. I just have this sinking feeling that I've made a horrible mistake with regards to my seat selection and am going to have a severely dilluted game day experience going forward. Yeah, I definitely hear you. Maybe it will be better with actual people in wheelchairs sitting there as they may not tend to lean forward as much. Changing the railing to Plexiglas would help as well because I know that I would lean forward a bit if I could because the mesh cuts off part of my view as well. Can you see if you stand up? If so, there's always that, although the people behind you probably wouldn't be happy.
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Post by myusernamesucks on Sept 21, 2011 14:31:35 GMT -6
We had a pretty long look at it last night and I think it can be done, but I'm certainly no expert on it. I just have this sinking feeling that I've made a horrible mistake with regards to my seat selection and am going to have a severely dilluted game day experience going forward. Yeah, I definitely hear you. Maybe it will be better with actual people in wheelchairs sitting there as they may not tend to lean forward as much. Changing the railing to Plexiglas would help as well because I know that I would lean forward a bit if I could because the mesh cuts off part of my view as well. Can you see if you stand up? If so, there's always that, although the people behind you probably wouldn't be happy. If we stand up the view is perfect, although the massive bruising and lacerations I'd recieve from the people behind me probably wouldn't make it worth it.
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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 14:37:16 GMT -6
Yeah, I definitely hear you. Maybe it will be better with actual people in wheelchairs sitting there as they may not tend to lean forward as much. Changing the railing to Plexiglas would help as well because I know that I would lean forward a bit if I could because the mesh cuts off part of my view as well. Can you see if you stand up? If so, there's always that, although the people behind you probably wouldn't be happy. If we stand up the view is perfect, although the massive bruising and lacerations I'd recieve from the people behind me probably wouldn't make it worth it. I hope True North rectifies this ASAP for you. Just so long as it doesn't negatively impact the wheelchair seating. But I am highly suspicious about what's going on with wheelchair seating after last night, as I mentioned earlier. I certainly hope that at least half of it (one person in a wheelchair and one attendant/companion) is used by people that need it.
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Post by myusernamesucks on Sept 21, 2011 14:51:58 GMT -6
If we stand up the view is perfect, although the massive bruising and lacerations I'd recieve from the people behind me probably wouldn't make it worth it. I hope True North rectifies this ASAP for you. Just so long as it doesn't negatively impact the wheelchair seating. But I am highly suspicious about what's going on with wheelchair seating after last night, as I mentioned earlier. I certainly hope that at least half of it (one person in a wheelchair and one attendant/companion) is used by people that need it. TNSE has done so many things the right way that I'm hopeful, if not confident, that something can be done. I'm prepared to give them some time - clearly they've been on a tight schedule this summer. I think there's a way to make everybody happy. If not, any chance you need an attendant/companion?
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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 14:54:56 GMT -6
I hope True North rectifies this ASAP for you. Just so long as it doesn't negatively impact the wheelchair seating. But I am highly suspicious about what's going on with wheelchair seating after last night, as I mentioned earlier. I certainly hope that at least half of it (one person in a wheelchair and one attendant/companion) is used by people that need it. TNSE has done so many things the right way that I'm hopeful, if not confident, that something can be done. I'm prepared to give them some time - clearly they've been on a tight schedule this summer. I think there's a way to make everybody happy. If not, any chance you need an attendant/companion? You'll have to get in line, my friend. Wheeling over there last night is another story altogether (it was a nightmare) but having the NHL back makes it all worthwhile.
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Post by pegger999 on Sept 21, 2011 15:58:18 GMT -6
I can tell you I know 4 guys who bought season tickets, a pair of 2 in the wheelchair access area because one of them has one. The reality is you can't force the wheelchair bound person to be there each game and some games you will have 2 able bodied people sitting there. It's the nature of the beast with the high ticket demand.
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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 16:01:44 GMT -6
I can tell you I know 4 guys who bought season tickets, a pair of 2 in the wheelchair access area because one of them has one. The reality is you can't force the wheelchair bound person to be there each game and some games you will have 2 able bodied people sitting there. It's the nature of the beast with the high ticket demand. This pretty much goes without saying, but when the majority of wheelchair seats were sitting empty and/or with nondisabled people using them, there is a problem, given that I was unable to purchase my own season tickets in any wheelchair section as I was told they were all sold out.
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Post by sting on Sept 21, 2011 17:31:47 GMT -6
Dave, I have the other package of games so I have not been at the rink yet, I'm behind you in 311 in row 3. Will I have the same problem with view? When I went for my seat selection it seemed that their was drop to the handicap level and it would not effect my view. Will I be obstructed? Attachments:
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Post by dkehler on Sept 21, 2011 18:31:47 GMT -6
Dave, I have the other package of games so I have not been at the rink yet, I'm behind you in 311 in row 3. Will I have the same problem with view? When I went for my seat selection it seemed that their was drop to the handicap level and it would not effect my view. Will I be obstructed? I would imagine that it will be similar in that the part just above the railing in your photo might be slightly obscured with heads. I was not in that section last night as we got moved Earlier that day due to, I'm assuming, construction. I thought this was strange as well since I figured there would be no place to put extra wheelchairs since all the wheelchair seating was supposedly sold out. But it was just me, my mother and two other people, one in a wheelchair other than myself. They probably could have put at least three or four more people beside me. And of course, there was nobody sitting in the 311 wheelchair section.
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Post by crazycanuck on Sept 21, 2011 18:58:50 GMT -6
Well guys remember years ago when the MTSC opened and a few of us made known the concerns we had on ROTJ? We were basically crucified for mentioning anything was wrong with the place. It is a nice building but don't you think it would have been built a little different if they knew for certain the NHL was a possibility? This is a classic case of Winnipeg going on the cheap at the time not looking into the future...well the future is now and we are stuck for years to come with a grade B NHL building. Sad but true. I never had an issue with it only holding 15000 people, it's the stuff everyone is complaining about now that always had me worried (not enough toilets, crowded concessions etc...... It's a good thing we are all on a high with the NHL's return but that won't last and True North better fix things pronto.
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Post by myusernamesucks on Sept 21, 2011 19:16:03 GMT -6
Dave, I have the other package of games so I have not been at the rink yet, I'm behind you in 311 in row 3. Will I have the same problem with view? When I went for my seat selection it seemed that their was drop to the handicap level and it would not effect my view. Will I be obstructed? I'd be willing to bet that you'll be in the same boat. What wasn't mentioned (and what we failed to think about) was that even though there is a drop we never took into consideration that the seating gets pushed as far forward as possible. There apparently is a camera station on the handicap platform in front of us as well. When we had our appointment one of stood as if we were a camera operator, and it did not impede our LOS at all - I think the four of us assumed that if a 6' 2" man standing with his back to the wall didn't bother us, someone sitting against the same wall surely would not. But like I say - we never took into account that the people would not have their backs to the wall, but instead be as far forward as possible. I hope you are not in the same boat as me, but if you are I encourage you to take photos as I did and send TNSE a note. I did so today and hopefully they can come up with a solution that benefits everyone.
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