Your short piece on new access at the James Pond Preserve caught my attention. Lambert’s Cove beaches are lovely and news of increased accessibility is welcome.

But for those of us with physical mobility challenges, the second sentence in the article told a different story, about the youngster who “tromped down the steps to the shore.”

I then looked at the accompanying pictures and saw a short run of steps over the small dune line around the beach.

Why not put in an accessible ramp instead? While I have not yet visited the property in person, judging from your photographs, the additional land area near the beach needed to accommodate an accessible ramp (rather than a short series of steps) looks to be pretty small. For many of us on the Vineyard, the steps (even with good railings) can be a formidable challenge. As it is, the new property “for public use” appears not to provide “access” for all of us in the public.

David Salkever

Aquinnah