ADA Grant on the Way for Deep River, Connecticut

DEEP RIVER - A few months from now, those suffering from arthritis and those in wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches will find Deep River Town Hall easier to navigate.

First Selectman Dick Smith said the town received $150,000 as part of a Connecticut Small Cities Grant which will be used to pay for accessibility modifications to the historic building's restrooms, door handles, outside ramps, and railings.

Door handles currently in the historic 1892 Town Hall are the conventional round door knobs and Smith said these will be replaced by knobs that are easier to grasp.

The ramps currently outside Town Hall are not American with Disabilities Act, ADA, compliant and funds from the grant will allow them to come into compliance.

"100% of those improvements will be paid for by the grant," Smith said.

It will take several months for paperwork to be processed, a design plan to be created, the project to be put out to bid, and for construction work to finally begin.
However, Smith assured that the project will not require Town Hall offices to be closed or temporarily relocated.

Smith confirmed that the elevator that provides access between the building's first floor and second floor auditorium is ADA accessible and will not require any upgrades.

Deep River Town Hall is one of five municipal buildings throughout Connecticut that have been awarded Small Cities grant money for ADA improvements.

"The Small Cities program is one of the best ways that state and federal governments can assist smaller communities in a wide range of development activities," said Governor M. Jodi Rell.

Smith confirmed that these modifications are not the only changes that employees and residents will see to Deep River Town Hall.

The Deep River Probate Court, which was housed in a single room at Town Hall next to the Town Clerk's Office, is in the process of being relocated to 171B Main Street in a space the town will pay $625 a month to rent.

Relocating the office is necessary to meet state requirements that stipulate that the Judge of Probate must have a private conference room and a separate office for the judge's clerk.

The vacant office will create additional usable space at Deep River Town Hall.

"The additional space will be used for additional office space, a conference area, and storage," Smith said, adding that several offices at Town Hall are cramped and the building lacks adequate storage or conference areas.

A $2.98 million proposal to completely renovate and expand Town Hall was rejected by residents at an October referendum while a $3.85 million proposal to renovate and expand the Deep River Fire Department Headquarters was rejected a month later.

Smith said the Board of Selectmen is in the process of compiling a questionnaire with approximately ten to fifteen questions to find out whether residents would support a downscaled version of either plan.