A Guide to Sensory Environments and Accessibility Scores of Various Social Hubs in Ann Arbor
Project by: Timarie
Ann Arbor, a city that prides itself on inclusivity, houses students from all different parts of the world. In the heart of this vibrant community lies a diverse tapestry of social hubs, each with its own unique charm and character. Recognizing the importance of ensuring accessibility for everyone, we present “Accessible Ann Arbor,” a comprehensive guide designed to celebrate and enhance the experiences of individuals with diverse sensory preferences and mobility needs. The mission is to empower you, whether you’re a resident, a student, or a visitor, to make informed choices about the places you choose to connect, unwind, and create memories. This goes beyond the surface, delving into the sensory environments and mobility accessibility of each featured social hub. Whether you seek a quiet corner for focused conversations, wheelchair-friendly venues, or spaces that embrace a spectrum of sensory experiences, our guide is your compass to navigate the diverse landscapes of Ann Arbor’s social scene.
History
Historically, individuals with disabilities have faced social exclusion and discrimination, leading to limited participation in various aspects of public life, including social gatherings and entertainment events. The disability rights movement, which gained momentum in the mid-20th century, sought to challenge societal barriers and advocate for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities. This movement played a pivotal role in reshaping attitudes and fostering a more inclusive environment. Over the years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of inclusivity in social events. Various initiatives and events specifically designed to be accessible and accommodating to individuals with disabilities have emerged. The rise of technology and social media has provided new avenues for people with disabilities to connect, share experiences, and organize social events. Online platforms can serve as spaces for virtual socialization and coordination of accessible events.
There has been a growing celebration of disability culture, including events that are specifically geared toward individuals with disabilities. These events often incorporate accessible features and cater to diverse needs, creating a more inclusive atmosphere. Aimi Hamrale and Kevin Gotkin have organized a series of events that they have coined as Crip Nightlife. Called “Remote Access,” this event brought people together virtually. Additionally, it showed how people with disabilities often participate in social life from their beds. Different protocols were added, such as participatory audio description and live description of musical sound. The term “remote access” is explored as a way disabled people create accessibility, encompassing various media and methods of engagement such as web streaming, live chats, and communication through newsletters.
Despite progress, challenges persist. Some venues may still lack adequate accessibility features, and attitudinal barriers may persist. Ongoing advocacy efforts seek to address these challenges and create more inclusive environments. While celebrating remote access as a tool for connection and collaboration, there are challenges, limitations, and frictions associated with digital spaces and online time. It highlights that barriers to usability in online spaces still exist for many disabled individuals.
Rubric used to determine wheelchair/mobility impairment accessibility score
When analyzing spaces to see how accessible they were for people with mobility disabilities, there were a few different aspects to think about. It’s not as simple as the bathroom or entrance being accessible. If a place is genuinely accessible, there should be no need to wave down staff members for assistance or guidance to the bathroom/entrances. While still accessible, there’s a certain degree of social accessibility that’s not granted, because people with mobility disabilities have to do extra work in order to get their accommodation. This is what, on the rubrik, I refer to as nodding. If nodding is required to get through the entrance comfortably, navigate a (potentially cluttered) hallway, or access the bathroom a point is deducted. From there on, points are deducted for specific reasons in each category. For entrances, another point is deducted if party separation is required. If the entrance is not accessible, 0 points are given. For the walkways, if they are cluttered and it appears difficult to navigate, another point is deducted. Again, if the building itself is not accessible, 0 points are given. For the bathroom, if it is a “storage closet” bathroom (many of the wheelchair “accessible” bathrooms are the employee bathrooms) another point is deducted. If there is no handicapped bathroom that is accessible, 0 points are given. For example, at Circ Bar, the entrance is wheelchair accessible with an elevator, but nodding and party separation is required. So, Circ Bar gets a “1” under entrances. The walkways at Circ Bar are clear, and the bathroom is entirely accessible, so 3s are given for both of the categories. Circ Bar’s total wheelchair/mobility impairment accessibility score is a 7 out of 9. You can see the rubric listed below. This data was found by walking through the establishments and taking note of how the interior was shaped and structured. This score will be referred to as the WMIAS score.
Method used to determine sensory stimulation levels
When determining sensory stimulation levels six different factors were taken into consideration: lighting, crowd levels, temperature, noise levels, free space, and how convenient it was to access the outdoors. This was all dependent on busy weekend times. Nobody knows a venus atmosphere better than their managers and employees, so I conducted a survey. I asked a question about each six of the categories. I started with lighting, asking how harsh it was (neutral lighting; minimal party lights / harsh lighting; party lights + dark; and strobe lights + party lights + dark). If it’s the highest level of lighting that’s listed, it’s the highest on the scale. This is the same way it works for each category. Underneath is the list of questions asked, and the survey taker was asked to circle a number for each question.
Lighting?
- 3 – strobe lights + party lights + dark
- 2 – party lights + dark
- 1 – minimal party lights / harsh lighting
- 0 – neutral lighting
Crowd levels on weekends?
- 3 – completely packed, difficult to move around
- 2 – quite crowded, minimal room to move around
- 1 – busy, but room to move around comfortably
- 0 – not very crowded
Temperature?
- 3 – hot– due to movement and bodies, it is a very warm environment
- 2 – warm– warmer side
- 1 – mild– you may get warm, depends on how much movement
- 0 – temperature isn’t a concerning factor– average, temperate
Volume?
- 3 – very loud, may need earplugs (large speakers, live music)
- 2 – quiet loud (karaoke, large speakers)
- 1 – minimal noise (juke box)
- 0 – little to no noise
Quick access to the outside?
- 3 – no access to outside unless you leave
- 2 – access to outdoors but is not easily accessible
- 1 – easy access to outdoors/ partly outdoors
- 0 – outdoors only
Jolly Pumpkin
- WMIAS: 9
- Brewery
Photo courtesy of Destination Ann Arbor of the outside of the Jolly Pumpkin
A chart ranking the sensory levels of the Jolly Pumpkin; lighting is a 0, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 3, and outdoor convenience is a 2.
Blom Meadworks
- WMIAS: 9
- Brewery, Board Games, Comedy, Trivia Night
Photo courtesy of drinkblom.com of the inside of Blom Meadworks bar
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Blom Meadworks; lighting is a 0, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 2, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
Lofi
- WMIAS: 0
- Dancing, karaoke, live music
Photo courtesy of Destination Ann Arbor of the inside of Lofi’s bar
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Lofi; lighting is a 3, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 3, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
Nightcap
- WMIAS: 9
- Bar
- Lighting on this graph is a 2 to account for darkness of the environment.
Photo courtesy of Nightcap’s website of Nightcap’s bar
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Nightcap; lighting is a 2, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 1, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
Babs Underground
- WMIAS: 6
- Bar, pool tables
Photo courtesy of Second Wave Media of Babs Underground’s bar
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Babs Underground; lighting is a 2, crowd is a 3, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 2, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
Hopcat
- WMIAS: 8
- Bar
Photo courtesy of Life in MIchigan of booths at Hopcat
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Hopcat; lighting is a 0, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 0, noise level is a 0, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
Alley Bar
- WMIAS: 9
- Bar
Photo courtesy of Thrillist of the outside of Alley Bar
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Alley Bar; lighting is a 0, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 1, noise level is a 1, and outdoor convenience is a 2.
8 Ball Saloon
- WMIAS: 0
- Pool tables, board games, darts, movies with captions
- Outdoor access convenience changes in the summertime when the patio is open
Photo courtesy of Gina B. on Yelp of 8 Ball’s pool room
A chart ranking the sensory levels of 8 Ball Saloon; lighting is a 0, crowd is a 1, temperature is a 0, noise level is a 1, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
Circ Bar
- WMIAS: 7
- Pool, karaoke, bingo
Photo courtesy of Ox Studio of Circ Bar’s main bar and tables
A chart ranking the sensory levels of Circ Bar; lighting is a 3, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 2, and outdoor convenience is a 1.
Blind Pig
- WMIAS: 6
- Live music, comedy
- No wheelchair/ mobility impairment accessible bathroom. It’s in the basement at 8 Ball, which is not accessible without stairs.
Photo courtesy of Second Wave Media of the outside of the Blind Pig
A chart ranking the sensory levels of the Blind Pig; lighting is a 2, crowd is a 2, temperature is a 2, noise level is a 3, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
LIVE
- WMIAS: 5
- Dancing
Photo courtesy of LIVE’s Facebook page of LIVE nightclub full of people dancing
A chart ranking the sensory levels of LIVE nightclub; lighting is a 3, crowd is a 3, temperature is a 3, noise level is a 3, and outdoor convenience is a 3.
This project was done by one student– hence, the lack of venues. This can hopefully be a starting point for further accessibility and online sensory descriptors, creating a more accessible Ann Arbor.
Works Cited:
B., Gina, Yelp, https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eightball-saloon-ann-arbor?select=3bcJ2tHoNVqm8WwkOYYB4g.
Concentrate, Second Wave Media, https://www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/locations/nightlife/babsaa.aspx.
Destination Ann Arbor, https://images.app.goo.gl/TsDnnDqxV6zdjs8C8.
Drink Blom, https://www.drinkblom.com/.
Facebook, LIVE Ann Arbor, https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=820300716772476&set=pcb.820300776772470
Life in Michigan, https://lifeinmichigan.com/hopcat-ann-arbor-beer-lovers/.
NightCap Bar, https://www.nightcapbara2.com/rentals.
Ox Studio, https://www.oxstudioinc.com/index.php/portfolio/circ-bar/.
Thrillist, https://www.thrillist.com/venues/drink/detroit/bars/alley-bar.
