Each town is required to have an Americans with Disabilities Transition Plan. That encompasses all town properties for ADA (disabled) access: parks, schools, senior centers, libraries, town halls, recreation buildings, etc., and we also are supposed to be sure activities are open to the disabled.
Schools are closing due to low enrollment and there are increases in older Americans. My estimate that many of our communities are at least 50 percent over the age of 30. We are looking at access to voting locations in our town buildings, for aging disabled grandparents attending events for children at schools, graduations, or to taking our grandchildren to the library or parks.
Thanks to the Mass. Office on Disabilities, whereupon $125,000 was available for ADA needs. Many towns have taken advantage of these grants. Greenfield, Montague, Leverett, and Gill are in the midst of submitting their townwide evaluations or ADA findings under their ADA Transition Plans to the state. Congratulations to all the towns that have addressed the disabled needs to update their very old plans.
These plans are working documents to continually meet the needs of the disabled now and in the future.
The state’s municipal ADA grant program will be opening soon. Thus any findings or ADA needs can be addressed.
For towns to address their ADA plans also sends a strong message of acceptance for disabled in our communities.
Betty Tegel
Montague