MASSENA, New York (WWNY) – How often do you think about accessible entryways when entering a business while running an errand? One Massena man says he thinks of it a lot and thinks there are problems in the village and town.
Joe Gray is a wheelchair user and says there needs to be more awareness among business owners that entrances should be accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act. He brought his concerns to the village board 2 weeks ago.
“I don’t think a lot of people think about some of these things in a broader spectrum. We used to joke about it, my wife and I. We would say, ‘Oh, is this place accessible?’ Well, there’s only one step. Well, one step might as well be a staircase when it comes to a wheelchair. It’s very very difficult to navigate,” he said.
While Gray isn’t targeting any specific business within the village or town of Massena, he does want business owners to be considerate of those with disabilities.
Village Code Enforcement Officer Aaron Hardy says that ADA compliance can be tricky and some business owners may not be aware that they aren’t following the rules.
“A lot of business owners though, they may make minor changes to the side of a building or something like that. Even moving a display case could potentially make non-ADA compliance,” said Hardy.
Gray wants business owners to be aware of how to help people now so they can avoid tens of thousands of dollars in potential fines from the state and federal governments.
Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.
