It is now a public facility

Date: 7/31/2014

In the mid-1990s in East Longmeadow, the financial “must haves” presented to the usual pathetic town meeting few, a proposal to purchase Pine Knoll “before Springfield could get it.”

Chris Maza confirms it was known to be a place of public accommodation and it was  nowhere near #504 Rehab ’73 nor Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 compliant. And yet, the few were convinced to its purchase and immediate use, helped by some interested volunteers with “sweat equity” – a commendable endeavor indeed, considering the scope. But, that does not mean they “own” it or control the access and use.

It has now seen some improvement in areas, the group failed as expected to bring it to mandated compliance. Any finding of non-use and/or access by any disability-challenged person could bring the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to survey the whole town, as they did in Albano’s Springfield, with 67 pages of violations.

Paul Cooke
East Longmeadow