Community Corner

New Ramp to Benefit More Than the Disabled

Elderly Also May Find it Convenient

The handicapped-accessible ramp that the town recently built on the east side of Penfield Pavilion won't allow just residents in wheelchairs to enjoy the pavilion's deck and views of Long Island Sound.

"I would think pretty much anyone who has trouble getting around would find it quite a bit easier to use the ramp," said Eileen Kennelly, an assistant town attorney and the town's coordinator of disability services. "It's probably going to be more used by elderly people than handicapped people."

The ramp was built by town Department of Public Works' crews about two months ago, after the town demolished and rebuilt the easterly wing of the 323 Fairfield Beach Road pavilion in 2008, according to First Selectman Ken Flatto.

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Flatto said Penfield Pavilion has a handicapped-accessible ramp by the main entrance, but residents who are in wheelchairs or who have trouble climbing stairs couldn't get onto the deck of the pavilion when the pavilion's doors were locked. The new ramp enables those residents to enjoy the pavilion after-hours and off season, Flatto said.

"There is a handicapped ramp at the front main entrance. The problem was, it was only open and accessible when the pavilion was open. The main value of this is this allows use in the evenings," Flatto said.

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Flatto said the pavilion also has a stone walkway in the sand that enables residents in wheelchairs to go within about 20 feet of the water.

The new ramp goes to the pavilion's deck and then ties into the walkway that goes toward the water, Flatto said. "It both accesses the pavilion and an area where someone in a wheelchair can go to the water," he said. "Now it's kind of all tied together. It's a nice addition."

The idea for the ramp on the east side of the pavilion came about after several residents expressed concern to town officials that the pavilion wasn't accessible enough to disabled residents, Flatto said.

Flatto said DPW crews built the easterly ramp and that the cost of materials was about $1,000. "They did it in-house. Other than materials, we didn't have to bid out the work," he said.

The town is planning to demolish and rebuild the center and westerly sections of Penfield Pavilion this fall and have the new structure finished by Memorial Day 2011. The Penfield Pavilion Building Committee decided to seek bids for that work, which was estimated by Malkin Construction Corp. in Stamford to cost $3.8 million, before submitting a funding request to town boards.

The easterly side of the pavilion was demolished and rebuilt in 2008 at a cost of $1.5 million, but the town had a $400,000 grant for that section so the cost to taxpayers was $1.1 million.


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