Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • July 24, 2013 Ridgewood ‘Mobi Chair’ vanishes after initial success at Graydon by John Koster A handful of residents have asked the Ridgewood Vil- lage Council what happened to the Mobi Chair, a type of waterproof wheelchair that can move over sand. The item Left and above: A Graydon Pool patron using the Mobi Chair. (Photos courtesy of Boyd A. Loving.) was loaned to Graydon Pool by a manufacturer, who report- edly was later told to pick up the chair and take it away. “I was proud as a resident of Ridgewood that this was put to use,” said Anne Loving, who said she recently saw the Mobi Chair in use by a handicapped swimmer and vicariously enjoyed his delight at being able to use the lake- like pool. “The Mobi Chair is gone,” said Marcia Ringel, a leader of the Preserve Graydon group. “Parks and recreation declined to purchase it. It’s really sad it wasn’t purchased. Parks and recreation says no...Why was a handicapped person who came to use it turned away?” Ringel, who had long advocated the chair, said it had been provided for a month-long free trial, but had not been purchased. The Ridgewood Village Council had opted for a concrete ramp -- supported by some and opposed by others -- but the New Jersey Department of Environmental Pro- tection is still mulling the application and it was not pos- sible to install the ramp this year. “I just see a great big H on the wall and it stands for hypocrisy,” Ringel said. “What’s our goal here? Are we really interested in getting people into Graydon?” “People will use it,” another resident said, characteriz- ing herself as very upset. “I think it’s absolutely sinful that you took it away.” Sally Brandes, who advocates swimming for the handi- capped, said she even had trouble ascertaining whether the Mobi Chair was available. “I was unable to get information on whether the Mobi Chair was ordered or not,” she said at last week’s public meeting. “This was the last chance this summer for people to be able to use Graydon with disabilities.” Brandes, who preferred the Mobi Chair option to the ramp, said the concrete ramp would cause flow problems with the water, interfere with the aesthetics of the lake-like pool, and possibly lead to accidents. Ridgewood Council members heard the residents’ com- ments without making an immediate response.