Accessibility & Inclusion Plan

Division of Recreation and Parks

The Division of Recreation and Parks (DRP) invites all visitors to participate in and enjoy our many parks, programs, and services. We are dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure that our visitors with disabilities are included and immersed in our Florida State Parks. In compliance with the intent and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (link is external) and the Florida Americans with Disabilities Accessibility Implementation Act Sections 553.501-553.514 (link is external), Fla. Stat. (2006), we are committed to providing equal access in a respectful and dignified manner to all visitors.

Facilities

Visitors are encouraged to visit and enjoy our many accessible camping areas, bathhouses, restrooms, recreation halls, fishing piers, environmental education centers, picnic pavilions, and more. We strive to design and construct accessible buildings and facilities that provide access for all visitors and that comply with applicable laws, regulations, and standards. Our new and renovated/altered buildings and facilities comply with accessible design standards.

Programs, Activities and Policies

We ensure equal access by providing reasonable accommodations and modifying our policies without altering the fundamental nature of our programs and activities. A variety of adapted equipment and accommodations are available, upon request, for visitor use. The Florida Park Service and sanctioned concessionaires follow our Service Animal Policy and Wheelchairs and Other Power Driven Mobility Devices Policy to allow all visitors to enjoy our Florida State Parks. We encourage all to visit our many festivals, special park events, beautiful beaches and rivers, interpretive programs, nature and hiking trails, boat tours, and more.

 

Cultural Sites

We provide access to cultural sites and historic properties that are reasonable and consistent with preserving each property's significant archaeological, historical, and/or cultural features. Occasionally, due to the significance and features of the properties, physical modifications are neither feasible nor required by law; however, we continuously strive to provide access for our visitors through alternative methods, such as: visual presentations, tactile maps/models, provision of exhibits in accessible spaces, video interpretation, live webcam feeds, assistive listening devices and more.

Wilderness Areas

We provide visitors with disabilities the highest possible level of physical access to wilderness areas consistent with preserving the property's significant natural features. Undeveloped areas, such as those outside the immediate influence of buildings and roads, are not typically modified.

Concessionaires

We partner with authorized vendors who comply with their contracts and/or agreements and share the responsibility of providing reasonable accommodations and program access to visitors with disabilities.

Accommodation Request and Process

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure that our visitors with disabilities receive equal access to our parks. To request an accommodation to assist with your visit, you may:

  1. Contact the specific State Park to request accommodation; or
  2. Call the Visitor Information Line at 850-245-2157 or 711 (Florida Relay Service).

The accommodation process begins once a visitor or designee makes the initial request. The appropriate State Park will contact the visitor or designee to discuss the accommodation request.

Complaints

If a request for access has not been resolved in a timely or acceptable manner, a complaint may be filed in writing or submitted by telephone, to:

Fred Beckham
Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Recreation and Parks
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 500
Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-3000

Email: [email protected] (link sends email)
Phone: (850) 245-3031 (voice) or 711 (Florida Relay Service)

For additional information, please refer to the DRP Grievance Procedure.
Click here for more info.

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