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Mr. Duncan's testimony said the downtown mall was constructed under excruciatingly unfortunate circumstances but now things are improving. He e said the mall is a civic adornment to be proud of and it can be made more beautiful, more vital, and more economically productive without automobiles. Nancy Brawner-Jones, 171 Monroe, said she is president of the Eugene Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She said some members of her group had to leave the hearing because the accessible buses do not operate late in the evening. She read from the City ordinance that identifies duties of the Human Rights Commissions. She said the Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was consulted about proposed changes to Broadway and Wi 11 amette. The group recommended that Wi 11 amette not be opened to traffic but recommendations were made about the design if the opening was approved. Ms. Brawner-Jones said the Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities made recommendations about the reconstruction of West Broadway but the recommendations were not implemented. The commission recommended that the rest rooms be retained and remodeled to meet accessibility standards. The rest rooms were removed. The commission recommended that nothing be permitted on West Broadway that is not fixed. There are movable tables, chairs, sandwich boards, wood and rope barricades, and bicycle racks designed so that bikes protrude into the walkway on West Broadway. Those things jeopardize the safety of blind people because they cannot be sure where objects are. She urged the council to correct things that are a threat to blind people such as power boxes on poles. Ms. Brawner-Jones said playgrounds on West Broadway were constructed without e ramps and are not accessible to children with mobility disabilities. She said the commission was told that children in wheel chairs cannot use the equipment in the playgrounds and, therefore, the playgrounds were constructed without ramps. She said children in wheel chairs want to play where other children are having a good time. She said animal statues outside the playgrounds to appease children with disabilities are not acceptable. Ms. Brawner-Jones said many people feel the Commi ss i on on the Ri ghts of Persons with Disabilities is not effective. She said the commission only makes recommendations and hopes they are respected. She said the City staff has indicated that the commission is adversarial but people who work for the human rights of protected classes are usually not popular. She said she and other commission members are committed to the task. Ms. Brawner-Jones said the commission recommends that the mall not be changed because blind people are used to it and can shop and have fun in the mall. She said the ramps for Willamette recommended by Don Miles put blind people into vehicular traffic without their knowledge. She said vehicles threaten the safety of people with disabilities, temporary barriers for the center section of the mall and changing traffic patterns would present impediments to people with visual impairments, vehicles would create an additional challenge to people who have trouble walking, and removing the trees and fountain would eliminate the only shade and method of cooling left on the mall. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 13, 1987 Page 15