CLEVELAND — Emily Lark retired from her teaching job three years ago, to be a full time caretaker for her daughter Annika Lark.

What You Need To Know

  • The Cuyahoga Board of Developmental Disabilities is investing $102,000 to install special toileting to improve access to public restrooms for all residents.

  • The adult-sized changing tables will provide a space for people with disabilties to manage their restroom needs.

  • Emily Lark takes care of her daughter Annika Lark full-time, and she said the tables could help normalize disabilties and boost engagement with other families in the community.

“She is as spicy as every five-year-old is,” Lark said. “She’s five going on 15. We’re we’re a big fan of Taylor Swift.”

Annika started experiencing health complications a few months after her birth in 2019.

“They suggested an MRI, and that’s when we discovered that Annie has a condition called cystic encephalomalacia," Lark said.

Lark said they often struggle to find public restrooms that fit Annika’s needs. The Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities is aiming to mitigate this problem by awarding more than $100,000 for the installation of universal changing tables in eleven libraries and other community centers across northeast Ohio. The board reports provides support and resources thousands of people with developmental disabilities in the county each year.

Elizabeth Day, the board’s director of public information and communications, said the project is about boosting accessibility in everyday life.

“Restroom access is something many of task for granted, but it’s something people with disabilities have to consider before they go out and about,” Day said “So, increasing the number of tables in Cuyahoga County will be a game changer for people with disabilities.”

Lark said having these private spaces will allow her family to attend more community events.

“Instead of having to lay a mat out on a floor in a restroom, or having to rearrange the van and change that, and make that work,” Lark said. “It’s just really wonderful to… walk into a space downtown in the city that we love that says, ‘Hey, we’re excited you’re here and we want you to stay.’”

Lark said she’s hoping the universal changing tables will also facilitate interaction between families, regardless of whether they have a disability.

“Wheelchairs are like glasses,” she said. “They’re just tools to help you access your environment. Same with changing tables, but the more people see them, the more it’s just normal.”