If you have been on the campus of the Iowa State Center, you may have noticed the second-level walkways connecting the buildings have been demolished. The stated purpose for their demolition is to free this space for university outdoor events. Another outcome of eliminating the walkways, however, is that Fisher Theater is no longer completely accessible to people like me who use wheelchairs.

Previously, in the case of fire, the walkway from the second floor of Fisher Hall to Stephens Auditorium provided a convenient exit from the theater, which is located on the second floor of Fisher. Now, there is no accessible exit from the theater. To address this issue, ramps were installed at the entrances on each side of the building. However, these ramps are too steep to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Once in the building, mobility-impaired individuals must now sit in the front of the theater. Therefore, I and others who cannot climb the stairs in the theater, have no access to the first floor where the bathrooms are located other than to exit the building, take the steep ramp down to the sidewalk and come back in through the lobby entrance, an activity that will be particularly challenging during bad weather.

Why did this situation happen, you may ask? Well, my guess is that the architects in charge of this project failed to consider the needs of individuals with mobility impairments. Administrators of the Iowa State Center and faculty of the ISU Theatre Program, of which my spouse is a member, attempted to get the problem addressed before the demolition of the walkways began. Their concerns were ignored. To make Fisher Theater accessible will now require a major renovation of the building, something unlikely to happen anytime soon.