Anyone used to entering New Canaan Town Hall from its rear doorway will have to make a change in plans.
The old rear entrance will be inaccessible for about two weeks as crews remove the old ramp and staircase to install a larger ramp to meet federal access rules. Town officials voted last month to hire Lanni Construction for $32,400 to remove the old ramp and install a new structure that meets federal Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. Lanni crews began tearing down the old ramp last Friday.
Assistant Public Works Director Tiger Mann said the previous ramp was in violation of ADA rules because the grade was higher than one inch per foot and because it was deteriorating. "It was falling into disrepair," Mann said.
The new ramp will have three five-foot lanes as opposed to two. To make room for the extra lane, handicapped parking spaces will be moved back slightly. Mann expects the new ramp to be installed by next week.
The project has already forced changes for several meetings. The Long Range Planning Committee meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday will now be held at the Lapham Community Center in Waveny Park. Mann said the Inland Wetlands Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission will also shift upcoming sessions to Lapham. Mann said he considered the upcoming Long Range Planning Committee's open house, scheduled for Nov. 22, when setting a start date for the project.
"We tried to find a gap in the schedule to impact the least people," he said. "Town Hall is very busy. There's no great opportunity to do this."
The public works department has installed a temporary exit through a janitor's closet in the Town Hall auditorium. Because there is no ramp, anyone with disabilities should contact Town Hall and arrange to meet with a town official at Vine Cottage, located next door at 61 Main St.
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