Skating Rink Owner Responds to Disability Access Lawsuit

The owner of a popular Rosemont skating rink responded Monday to for lack of proper wheelchair access, claiming changes were already planned for the skating center.

Alex Johnson, co-owner of The Rink on Bradshaw Road, said he was making the skating rink more accessible when the lawsuit was filed by Spladae Moore, a disabled Rancho Cordova man who filed the case in Sacramento federal court last Thursday.

"We’re planning on bringing up our restroom up to compliance," said Johnson. "We do have a ramp that is accessible for two wheelchairs to go up and down and all our tables are accessible."

Moore, who is suing The Rink after he visited the skating center for a birthday party in February, claims Johnson's business currently does not comply with the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act.  Moore, who is also seeking unspecified damages, aims to shut down the skating rink until Johnson provides wheelchair access to the restrooms, tables and snack bar.

Calls to Moore's attorney, Jason Singleton, were not returned before this story was posted.  Singleton is better known as the lawyer who filed a disability access lawsuit against The Squeeze Inn, a Sacramento restaurant on Fruitridge Road that almost closed in 2009 because of the case.

Johnson said he hasn't received any court documents yet about the case and only learned about the lawsuit after friends saw the news on Facebook.  The skating rink owner stated he received a "friendly" letter last month from Moore about The Rink's lack of adequate wheelchair access, but no legal threats were made.

Johnson claims he responded with a letter assuring Moore that better wheelchair access would soon be provided.  The skating rink owner said he never heard back until the lawsuit was filed last week.

"It’s not something that gets fixed overnight," said Johnson.  "You can’t do something quickly like that."

A pre-trial hearing has been set for October 4, 2012 at the U.S. district court in Sacramento.  Johnson said he wants to make the skating rink accesible to disabled customers, but believes it may be difficult based on the age of the building. 

If Johnson is unable to make the changes demanded by Moore, The Rink may have to close after reopening a year ago .  Formerly King's Skate Country, the skating facility opened May 31, 2011

"You try to do something for the community and the kids to have something, and (now) somebody is trying to shut you down," said Johnson.  "It kind of defeats you a little bit."