Norwalk Fitness Club Agrees to Comply with the ADA and Improve Accessibility

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Fitness International, LLC, doing business as L.A. Fitness, to resolve allegations that an L.A. Fitness club in Norwalk was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).

The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with disabilities alleging that the L.A. Fitness club located at 761 Main Avenue in Norwalk was not accessible to individuals with physical disabilities.  L.A. Fitness is in the process of making required changes to the location, including improving the accessibility of the facility’s fitness equipment areas, adding accessible features to restrooms and locker rooms, ensuring access to all guests in the pool area, and making improvements in the “Kids Klub” area to ensure access for individuals with disabilities.

Fitness International, LLC will continue to make improvements over the next three years.

Under federal law, health club facilities are considered “public accommodations” and are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability.  The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities.  The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.

U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the Fitness International, LLC has worked cooperatively and collaboratively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address the ADA issues without litigation and to make comprehensive changes to the Main Avenue health club facility to improve accessibility.

Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a health club facility or any other place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.

Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY).  More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda M. Green of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.