FAIRFIELD, Conn. Fairfield residents with disabilities will have more access to Fairfields shoreline soon. The town will install new ramps and handicap-accessible bathrooms for those in wheelchairs and with other disabilities this summer.
The $100,000 project was paid through a state grant in the Small Town Economic Assistance Program. Fairfields four-person statehouse delegationstate Sen. John McKinney and state Reps. Brenda Kupchick, Tony Hwang and Kim Fawcett lobbied to bring the funding to Fairfield.
Fairfields beaches are an indelible part of our community a great setting for social events and family recreation, said McKinney (R-Fairfield). Along with other recent improvements, this funding will make it easier for more of our neighbors to enjoy a day at the beach.
The work will add ramps and handicap-accessible bathrooms to Fairfield's public beaches, similar to those already done at the newly rebuilt Penfield Pavilion. The project will be included in plans to add sidewalks to the beach area leading up to the pavilion and flood-control measures for the surrounding neighborhood.
This additional funding will help to ensure Fairfield residents will have a beautiful beach facility to enjoy for years to come, said state Rep. Fawcett (D-Fairfield).
The Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) pays for building projects in less-populated towns across Connecticut. The Office of Policy and Management is charged with finding projects that encourage economic development and preserve the character in the towns they serve. The state government will spend $20 million on similar projects through the program.
These grants represent the important partnership between our towns and state government, said Gov. Dannel Malloy. As we work to reinvent Connecticut, supporting local projects that improve centers of commerce, town facilities, and schools will make us a stronger, more competitive state, all while improving the quality of life for residents.
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