Kylie Tests Park Accessibility at Riverside and Hembree

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The birds are chirping, the grass is greener, and spring is in the air—what better time to check out how accessible our local parks are? This month I revisited two well-loved spots in Roswell I frequent often.

I remember going to Hembree Park with my friends when I was younger. I recall it being easy to navigate, but it had been a while, so I wanted to see if it as accessible as I remembered.

I also visited one of my favorite places in Roswell—Riverside Park. Located on the Chattahoochee River, it holds a special place in my heart. My first job at Great Prospects Inc. was based at Saint Andrew’s Catholic Church next to the park, and we often brought our students there. It felt like the perfect place to assess.

Parking

Hembree Park has several parking lots, each offering at least two accessible spaces with plenty of room for a van ramp to be let down.

Score 5

The parking at Riverside Park is excellent. There are at least six accessible parking spaces in the lot, and all the accessible spots have the cutout for a ramp to be let out.

Score 5

Recreation Center Building

Hembree Park has a large recreation center building. The building has two basketball gyms, a few classrooms and meeting rooms. The entrance of the recreation center has two doors that open outward. There were no automatic buttons to open the doors, so I would need assistance getting inside the building. The basketball gyms were very accessible and would be good for wheelchair sports.

Score 4

Sidewalks and Ramps

The sidewalks at Hembree Park are wide and easy to maneuver. The ramp cutouts are convenient spots for me to get on the sidewalks. I love watching baseball games at the park, and having a ramp cutout close to each field is convenient.

Score 5

I was extremely impressed with the Riverside Park sidewalks. Instead of having one curb cutout that a person in a wheelchair can use, the entire sidewalk has an incline so you can go up at any point. It is one of the most accessible sidewalks I have ever seen. Other parks and restaurants should try to duplicate this sidewalk.

Score 10 out of 5. So impressive

Accessibility of the Trails

The trails at Hembree Park are accessible overall. The surfaces of the trails reminded me of Leita Thompson Park because both trails are made of cinder. There were a few rocks and branches along the trail that I had to go around, but not as many as on the other trail. There were a few hills, but they were not too steep.

Score 4

The trails at Riverside Park are wide, paved with smooth concrete, and entirely flat. I was able to access every part of the park, including the pier and the scenic bridge over the river.

Score 5

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed my experience at Hembree Park. I felt like I could access every area without any issues and would recommend it to all my friends with disabilities.

Overall Score 4

I have had so many good memories at Riverside Park over the years. The park has done a wonderful job of creating an environment that accommodates the needs of all people. It also has some unique features that other parks might want to copy.

Overall Score 5

Where do I need to go next? Show me your favorite spots, and I’ll evaluate how accessible they are!