NORWALK, Conn. — As Norwalk develops its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plan, the city is conducting an online survey and will hold a community engagement session on Wednesday to solicit feedback on the accessibility of its facilities and parks.
The community engagement session will be held on Wednesday, June 4, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Community Room at Norwalk City Hall, located at 125 East Ave.
The 10-question survey, which takes only minutes to complete, can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/NorwalkADA and will close on Wednesday, June 18.
“The goal of the survey is to identify any city parks or facilities where users with disabilities or their family members may have encountered barriers to accessibility and to prioritize areas that need attention,” said Mayor Harry Rilling.
The City of Norwalk previously completed a citywide ADA transition plan—which provides a framework for multi-year projects—in 2013 and continues to upgrade parks and facilities to be more accessible, according to city ADA Coordinator Bill Hnatuk.
“Part of the plan included the construction of new egress sidewalks and a new ramp to the City Hall Concert Hall terrace entrance, which was recently completed,” said Hnatuk. “The city is currently working toward new ADA restrooms in the Concert Hall, new curb ramps and raised crossings on City Hall Drive, the installation of powered doors at the SoNo Train Station, and new ADA-compliant signage throughout Norwalk City Hall and the Norwalk Health Department, among several other projects.”
When the new transition plan is completed in the next few months, it will be published on the city’s website, said Hnatuk.
Norwalk is working with the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG) on its self-evaluation and transition plan, which are also being funded by WestCOG, according to Hnatuk.
“WestCOG retained the services of a consulting firm to develop transition plans for facilities and parks within its communities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),” said Hnatuk. “A transition plan identifies access barriers and phases the retrofit work over time.”
On Wednesday evening, “The consulting firm will review key ADA requirements for facilities and parks, discuss the importance of community feedback in establishing priorities, share observations of access barriers viewed at the City of Norwalk sites and ask for the access preferences and priorities of the members of the public in attendance,” Hnatuk explained. “The survey pairs well with the presentation and can be taken on its own or as part of attending in person.”
Rilling stressed the city has prioritized accessibility.
“The City of Norwalk has made accessibility central to our work,” said the mayor. “We strive to be a welcoming environment that fosters a sense of belonging, safety, and accessibility for all community members, including those with disabilities.”
The transition plan currently being developed “includes projects at City Hall and throughout the community to ensure our facilities and parks are accessible to everyone,” added Rilling. “As we continue this important work, we want residents’ feedback to make sure we understand what’s most important to the community to best meet their needs. That’s why we are hosting an in-person community engagement session on this topic this Wednesday, June 4, at City Hall and have distributed a survey.”
Members of the public are encouraged to reach out to Hnatuk at 203-854-7221 or whnatuk@norwalkct.gov with any questions or concerns.
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