If you have ever walked from the small parking lot behind the church along the brick sidewalk to the back entrance, you have stepped up from the parking lot onto the sidewalk over a six-inch-high concrete curb. That curb creates a mobility barrier, particularly for individuals in wheelchairs and those using walkers or canes.
Removing a Barrier
Thanks in part to a $5,000 grant from the WPC Endowment Committee, that barrier will soon be eliminated and an accessible ramp will be constructed.
The project will involve removing the concrete curb at the corner of the parking lot and replacing it with a new curb poured flush with the parking lot pavement. The work will also require removing and replacing a portion of the brick sidewalk to form the ramp.
What to Expect During Construction
The project is expected to begin around October 1 and take about a week to complete.
During construction, the immediate work area will be cordoned off. You will still be able to use the brick sidewalk behind the church, however. The parking space closest to the church will be blocked off so pedestrians can walk safely around the work area.
Please consider this brief disruption a temporary inconvenience that will result in a permanent accessibility improvement!
Part of a Larger Vision
This project is one of the initiatives envisioned several years ago by the WPC Gathering Spaces Team, along with other possible future projects around the church.
If you have questions or concerns about the upcoming ramp project, please contact Fred Whitley or Betty Ann Davis of the Gathering Spaces Implementation Team.
