Dennison getting $95k to make village hall more accessible
DENNISON (WJER) (June 8, 2022) – Money lawmakers set aside in the state’s capital budget will make the village’s headquarters and its community room more accessible to visitors with mobility challenges.
The village is getting $95,000 to install a ramp and automatic doors at the side entrance, put chair lifts inside, and make the third-floor restrooms handicapped accessible. Mayor Greg DiDonato is grateful to State Representative Brett Hillyer for securing funding for the project, which will now only cost the village about $10,000, and to Senator Jay Hottinger for supporting the effort.
“You know he represents our district, and of course supports the projects his colleague representatives pushed through.”
He says the improvements are designed to make the renovated third-floor space known as The Railroad Room easier for people unable to climb the stairs to get to and should be finished in six months to a year.
By the time we get all of the paperwork in place, the process… You know we have to pay the bill. It’s a reimbursement, so I’m hoping really by the first part of next year the project is completed.
DiDonato says the lifts they’re having installed will carry passengers only, not their wheelchairs, so they will be placing some lightweight ones near the stairwells for people to use.
“That way you can go over to the chair lift on the first floor to get to the top floor, and then once you get up there, if you need a wheelchair you have the chair to move anywhere you want in the community room on the top floor.”
He says other options were either too expensive or impractical because of space constraints and the building’s split second level.