Accessibility for the Landmarks Orchestra

 The Boston Landmarks Orchestra is committed to removing barriers for people with disabilities to attend our concerts at the Hatch Shell.  We would like to thank the Multi-Cultural Independent Living Center of Boston for working with us on all aspects of a new initiative aimed at promoting accessibility during our 2011 Summer Season. With the recent upgrade of The Charles/MGH T Station to make it accessible and the work that our partners at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation have done on the grounds of the Hatch Shell, the opportunity for people with disabilities to enjoy our concerts has increased. 

We want people with disabilities to feel welcome, safe, and secure, and are therefore providing this information to make their experience better. The Landmarks Orchestra invites you to contact Jim Murray at (617)987-2000 ext. 13 or via e-mail at jm@landmarksorchestra.org for more information or assistance, or if you have any comments or suggestions.

For Assistance with Mobility

By Car

The DCR has provided a drop off location on site.  A map of the area is attached.  We can provide a person to assist anyone who needs it at this site. There is also some parking for people with disabilities along Storrow Drive and, thanks to The City of Boston’s Commission for People with Disabilities, we have some spots along Beacon Street near Arlington Street.

We strongly suggest contacting The Ride for assistance.

http://www.mbta.com/fares_and_passes/ride/

By MBTA

From Charles / MGH Redline Station

The walking distance from the subway station to the Esplanade concert area is just under 1/2 mile, or 2,480 feet.   The subway station is accessible and meets State and Federal access standards.  The pathway to the concert area however has some issues. The path from the station to the footbridge over Storrow Drive, has ramps with slopes that exceed the standards in both length and grade of slope.  For some individuals the climb up the bridge could be very difficult.  The bridge is 717 feet from Charles Circle to the Esplanade end, 316 feet of which is uphill with grades as much as 10%.  There is one level area at the second turn of the ramps on each side. The first turn on each side does not have a level area.  The distance from the beginning of the bridge to the first level area is 106 feet.

From the Arlington Station, which is also accessible, one arrives at the Hatch Shell via:

The Fiedler Footbridge from Beacon Street over the westbound lane of Storrow Drive.  It is 686 feet in length, and leads directly to the concert area.  The first 319 feet of the bridge is uphill, the slope of which varies, but at the steepest is as much as 9.7%.  There are two level areas at the turns before the ramp on each side.  The first level area on the ramps is 63 feet from the beginning of the bridge. 

Boston Landmarks Orchestra will have volunteers at the bridge that can help, so feel free to ask.

Rest rooms at Hatch Shell

There are both men’s and women’s restrooms in the back of Hatch Shell itself.

Each restroom has a 1/2 inch rise at the entrance. There are accessible stalls and sinks, but no lowered urinal in the men’s room. 

For People With Visual Impairments

This year, thanks to the generous support of the Multi-Cultural Independent Living Center of Boston, we are providing both large text and Braille versions of our programs.  Please ask an usher for one.

People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Interpreters at our concert with the Boston Lyric Opera on August 3 made it possible for the hearing impaired to enjoy the performance. 

This was possible thanks to a collaboration with the interpreter team of Christopher Robinson, Stacey D’Onofrio, and Aimee L.S. Robinson.   Stacey and Aimee interpreted well known operas including Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and Verdi’s Macbeth.

We would like to thank the following people for helping to make this initiative possible:

Derrick Dominique and Ana Ortiz, Multi-Cultural Independent Living Center of Boston

Thomas McCarthy, Commonwealth’s Universal Access Program of the Department of Conservation and Recreation

Joe Rotondo, Department of Conservation and Recreation

Angelo Tilas, Department of Conservation and Recreation

Kristen McCosh, Commissioner of the Office of Disabilities of the City of Boston

Joe Bellil, Easter Seals

Judi Zazula, New England Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center at Boston Medical Center

Charles J. Washburn VSA, Massachusetts

Donna Danielewski and Larry Goldberg, The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH (NCAM) http://ncam.wgbh.org

Stephen Spinetto, Multi-Cultural Independent Living Center of Boston and Overseer of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra