"Just exactly how did the person(s) who needs the handicap dock in Wolfeboro get into the boat in the first place?"
As Chachee said, not all disabilities are the same, not everyone with a disability requires lift assistance. Suppose you broke a leg and were in a full leg cast and wheelchair temporarily, but still wanted to get out on the lake, you would be entitled to a space that hopefully would accommodate your chair and give you space to move around to move yourself to the boat safely.
Suppose you had a parent with COPD and on oxygen who can't walk too far, but they could still enjoy a day on the lake. Or a returning veteran with a spinal cord injury, who has excellent use of their upper body but happens to move around in a chair instead of on their legs. None of those people need lifts, just the right kind of space to access their boats safely.
Technology and common sense (universal design) can go a long way to help us not handicap a person who happens to have a disability.
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