Alumni Parent Highlights Cincinnati’s Accessible Venues

Kathleen Cail, alumni parent of Ben (a junior at Skidmore College) and Grace (a senior at Indian Hill High School), and wife of current Mercy Board Treasurer, Jeff Cail, is spearheading a community project called Access Cincinnati. This organization will help communicate the accessibility and visitability of venues downtown and in Over The Rhine. Kathleen and co-founder, Nestor Melnyk, an architect who has been involved with projects at Mercy, both have children with disabilities. Kathleen's daughter, Grace, uses a wheelchair. Through their work together on the Reel Abilities Film Festival, the idea for Access Cincinnati was born. Cail and Melnyk wanted to help promote businesses that have accessible facilities downtown. “Accessibility affects how livable our city is and impacts all residents. From families with strollers, to aging parents, and individuals using wheelchairs – designing for disability is designing for everybody,” shared Cail.

Access Cincinnati will serve as a resource to the community, infiltrating social media, websites, and storefronts with icons that provide accurate information regarding accessibility of spaces.   Visitors to the mobile site will be able to pull up map and list views of downtown venues and can click on them to learn more about location’s entry, interior space, and bathroom facilities. Access Cincinnati will provide important information so that people can feel comfortable and enjoy their visit downtown. The site is currently being populated with information and plans are to continue to grow the number of venues that are included. If you are interested in volunteering to help with this initiative you can contact Kathleen at info@accesscincinnati.org or visit their website for more information www.acesscincinnati.org.