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Target Field is the most accessible in the US
April 22nd, 2010
By Kevin Duchschere, Star Tribune
The brat and beer were similar to ones Bruce Burchett had savored at the Metrodome, but the view from his seat at Target Field was something else again.
“People can stand up and I’m able to see,” he said.
A big deal? It is if you’re in a wheelchair, like Burchett, and you’ve been consigned for years to sitting behind the bouncing backsides of fans cheering the game-winning home run.
Perhaps the most overlooked accolade among those piled on the Minnesota Twins’ new ballpark is how well it caters to people with disabilities.
Dominic Marinelli, a national consultant who has worked on a number of new stadiums, called Target Field “the most accessible one in the country.”
“It sets a standard for the next ones,” said Marinelli, vice president for accessibility services with New York-based United Spinal Association. “We’re trying to use tricks from Target Field at Madison Square Garden [currently under renovation].”
It worked last week for Burchett of Fridley, who attended a day game against Boston with his wife, Linda, daughter Bridgett and grandson Trent Chromy.
The rail before him was well below eye level, unlike some that obstruct wheelchair users at the Metrodome. His perch was well above the jumping fans in front. An outlet box to recharge electrical wheelchairs was nearby, as they are in accessible seating areas throughout the ballpark.
Not only that, the brat was pretty good.
“I’ve got a very positive impression,” Burchett said.
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