Page last updated on September 13, 2023 at 3:46 pm
For more information, please contact
Julie Ramey - Community Relations Manager - rameyj@bloomington.in.gov
The Challenge
The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is always looking for new ways to make parks more accessible, diverse, and equitable for residents. Each new project the department faces is an opportunity to evaluate practices and procedures to ensure more residents can be accommodated and welcomed.
When the Lower Cascades Trail streambank stabilization project began in 2021, Parks and Rec worked with Ball State University to gather historical documentation needed to list Lower Cascades Park on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures.
During the early stages of the project, Parks staff considered ways to make the experience more accessible.
“We started asking questions like, ‘What if you are visually impaired? What if you don’t read? What if you don’t read English?’ and this led to us asking, ‘How do we make this interpretative sign as accessible as possible for people who want to learn more?” - Julie Ramey, Director of Parks and Recreation
The Idea
The Parks and Recreation Public Interface Action Team worked alongside the Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility to research best practices and to receive feedback. Then, Parks and Rec created audio recordings of the signage at Lower Cascades that can be accessed as easily as checking your phone! Now, each sign features a scannable QR code leading to a YouTube video with a spoken description of the signage.
For non-English speaking residents, the YouTube video allows for auto-translation in over 100 different languages!
The Cost
Parks and Recreation had the text professionally produced and translated to ensure full accuracy and accessibility could be achieved.
The Benefits
Across Bloomington parks, there are a dozen signs that have audio capability. Now, whenever Parks and Rec produces a permanent interpretive sign, an audio file is created for transcription. In addition, if the YouTube video ever needs to be changed or updated, the QR code stays the same but its contents can be edited. Stay tuned for future interpretative signage around your favorite B-town parks!
Metadata
Department(s): Parks and Recreation
Department Point(s) of Contact: Paula McDevitt
Partner(s): Council for Community Accessibility
Partner Point(s) of Contact: n/a
Type of Innovation: New Technology
Date Implemented: 2023