A rendering of the new ADA-compliant ramp at Huguenot Flatwater (Image courtesy James River Outdoor Coalition)
The James River Outdoor Coalition (JROC), a nonprofit that supports the James River Park System through donations and volunteer efforts, will soon bring an Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant access ramp to Huguenot Flatwater. After raising over half a million dollars largely through grants and city funding, the project has entered the permitting process.
The ramp will help visitors get down to the water, and will join the Reedy Creek access ramp to create a 4-mile stretch of water with ADA-compliant access at both ends. The ramp could be constructed and ready for use by midwinter at the earliest, says Katie Lemmert, JROC president.
While Reedy Creek is mostly used for whitewater access, Huguenot Flatwater gives visitors access to calmer waters for fishing and paddling, says Sally Wetzler, JROC’s treasurer.
Wetzler, a kayaker who uses a wheelchair, says getting onto the river can be difficult, but she enjoys paddling on the James nonetheless.
“Out on the water, I can do whatever I want,” she says. “Being able to go in my chair down to a place where I can transfer easily into my boat is going to be great.”
Many Reedy Creek visitors opt to use the ramp instead of the stairs regardless of whether they have a disability, Wetzler adds.
She says the Huguenot Flatwater ramp will also benefit guests with mobility challenges, such as grandparents with knee issues who want to take their grandchildren fishing on the river.
“An [accessible] launch is going to give more than just people who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices access to the river,” Wetzler says.
Though Lemmert says she does not yet know exactly how much the ramp will cost, JROC is still accepting donations and will use any excess funds on future access projects, aiming to eventually connect the entire James River Park System with ADA-compliant ramps.
