News & Events

Lockport considers accessibility program

During Wednesday's council meeting, Ward 1 Alderwoman Diane Seiler, who came up with the idea, brought the proposal to the council's attention.

"It's really a step in the right direction," she said.

Seiler's reasons for the initiative are public and private. Accessibility would economically benefit local businesses, she said.

At a young age, her husband suddenly suffered a stroke, and Seiler said an accident or illness can instantly leave someone disabled.

"It's time all of us opened up our eyes, because it's any one of us," she said.

Seiler and Ward 4 Alderman Dev Trivedi ran the proposal by the city's heritage and architecture committee. Now a different city committee will study the issue.

"It's really promising," Trivedi said.

Among other things, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, of 1990 outlined accessibility guidelines for public places, including stores and restaurants.

While most new businesses meet the federal requirements, many older ones do not, officials said. Though the law does allow exemptions.

Some owners who should be in compliance don't realize their establishments have to be ADA accessible or don't know how to meet the guidelines, Pam Heavens, executive director of the Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living, said Thursday.

Other proprietors claim not to have customers with disabilities.

"Of course, the obvious reason is they are not accessible," Heavens said.

Heavens and John McIntyre, Lockport's economic development director, said owners are missing out on big business.

Nearly one in five Americans is disabled, McIntyre said.

"You're basically cutting yourself off from 20 percent of the market," he said.

The improvements to make an establishment accessible also can benefit other patrons like senior citizens with walkers or canes, people who are temporarily on crutches or even mothers pushing strollers.

Lockport city planner Steve Lazzara, who uses a wheelchair, said he does have trouble visiting some businesses in town but thinks proprietors shouldn't have a hard time making the upgrades.

"I think it could be remedied very easily," Lazzara said.

Some downtown stores have a step up to their doorways that could be converted to a ramp, he said. Other possible changes include installing a lighter-weight door that is easier to push open.

Lazzara added that historical preservation doesn't have to be compromised for a building to be ADA compliant.

Often both can be achieved. Currently the Gaylord Building, a National Trust Historic Site, is accessible to disabled persons, he said.

Officials currently are considering an accessibility proposal similar to the city's facade-improvement program: The city would reimburse the business owners a percentage of the total cost.

Lockport is not the first city to consider an accessibility program or ordinance. Last year, Joliet officials passed an ordinance to bring their businesses up to snuff with ADA.

Joliet Deputy City Manager Jim Shapard said the city will start implementing their program in the near future.

-Reporter Andrea Hein can be reached at (815) 729-6018 or via e-mail at ahein@scn1.com.

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