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Public access pools face challenges to open this year as new federal regulations require all public and commercial pools to install special lifts for access for those with disabilities.  The Department of Justice will require all pools serving the public good to conform with new regulaitons under the Americans with Disabilites Act.  The new regulations can be seen at this site we'll call New Pool Rules. 

The new regulations are already in effect and have many hotels and resorts scrambling to figure out how they will be paying for new lifts, and in some cases, structural changes to thier existing pools in time for the summer season.  If the changes aren't made fines of up to $55,000 are possible.  Many municipalities, with tight and in many cases, no budgetary wiggle room may not be able to find the money to buy the special lifts which run between $2,000 and $8,000.  That is what many hotels are grapling with right now.  According to Donald Harris, a GM at a Wyndham hotel: "All guests are important, we want to satisfy everyone, and we don't want to discriminate against anyone as well... that's a huge expense."  You can read more about it in First Coast News - where they are grapling with the issue now... chances are we'll be hearing a lot about it towards Memorial Day.

We'd like to know how you think these new federal regulations will effect you and the summer for your family?  Let us know...