ORlEANS ANNUAl TOwN REPORt FOR YEAR ... - Town Of Orleans

The Commission also reviewed the proposed Orleans Academy Theater designaddition for compliance with accessibility requirements of the ArchitecturalAccess Board (AAB). If funding for this project is successful, the new buildingadditions will greatly facilitate accessibility to the second floor theater space andprovide additional handicap parking spaces for disabled placard patrons.The Commission in 2007 also was successful in arranging for rectification of theState-funded Depot Park Improvement Project, which had failed to provide thecurb cut to facilitate wheelchair and handicap scooter access between OldColony Way and Main Street. Failure to originally construct that curb cut hadresulted in the need for wheelchairs and scooters to use the busy street aroundthe intersection of the two public ways. While it was a State-funded project, thetown nevertheless was instrumental in accomplishing needed re-construction toallow safe wheelchair access between condominiums on Main Street and OldColony. The Commission was extremely grateful for the town’s good offices.The Commission has much to learn from other town organizations. There aremany resources available to the Commission, which it needs to familiarize itselfwith and utilize. Of particular importance are other town committees andorganizations representing the business community, like the Orleans Chamber ofCommerce and the Nauset Rotary.To that end, the Commission was enormously pleased, at a monthly networkingmeeting of the chamber, to confer its first Certificate of Recognition to the newSnow’s Home and Garden during 2007. The new Snows had come to ourattention several times by disabled patrons who praised its accessibility andcustomer-centric business attitude. Mr. Sidney Snow, Jr. was most gracious inhis acceptance of the certificate.During 2007, the Commission met with other business, government and nonprofitleaders with knowledge about local and regional disability issues. Themost important of those have been with Orleans residents who are disabled orwho have experienced some degree of functional impairment as a result of injury,developmental impairment or aging issues.2008 brings substantial new challenges to the Commission. With needed newmembership and a greater capacity for community involvement, we anticipatemore substantial efforts to monitor potential abuse of handicap parking,especially during the tourist season, and take whatever enforcement actions wecan effectuate. We intend to work closely with the Police Chief and the Board ofSelectmen to those ends. However, no measurable changes to potential abusesof handicap parking can realistically occur without wide citizen acceptance andsupport.To that end, the Commission will solicit for town volunteers to a Friends of theCommission On Disabilities organization. We know that more voices are needed125