YMCA construction to continue despite protests about inaccessiblity

From the Greenwich, Conn., Time. I posted another entry about this issue Oct. 20.

Despite impassioned words from two disabled Greenwich residents, the Planning and Zoning Commission has unanimously approved an extension for the Greenwich Family YMCA's construction and interim site plans.

"It'll be two years since the time (everyone else) can get into the building to when the first person with a wheelchair can," visually impaired resident Alan Gunzberg told the commission at its meeting Nov. 14, saying that the planned lack of elevator access and handicap-accessible ramps until June 2009 prohibited the disabled from enjoying the YMCA.

The YMCA has been mired in controversy since a handicapped member came forward in September, speaking out against the lack of handicapped access during
ongoing construction since 2004, particularly to the pool. The YMCA has argued that making the near century-old building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act is of the highest priority, but it will take time to update the facility.

In its site plan, the YMCA describes the elevator, in the core of the building, as the necessary last element of construction. It is slated to be installed in June.

Activists like Carol Kana have wondered publicly whether that is true.

"The people in this town have been the silent minority," said Kana, a wheelchair-user who described herself as physically handicapped.

In the end, however, the commission was swayed by lawyer John Tesei, who, in representing the YMCA, said the organization had been issued a temporary certificate of occupancy by the town Building Department when it began construction in 2004 and therefore handicapped access was not something it could consider in reviewing its interim site plan.

Commission member Frank Farricker, after prodding Tesei on possible ways to temporarily make parts of the building handicap accessible during construction, eventually sided with the rest of the commission. Members said they were sympathetic to Greenwich residents unable to use the YMCA, but it is not the commission's role to argue with a permit granted by the Building Department.

The commission did draft an approval note, however, requiring the YMCA to install ramps to several building doors and the heated pool, as well as install its elevator, by June 2009.

In the meantime, the commission also required the YMCA to install curb cuts on its current two handicapped parking spaces, as people in wheelchairs can't access the sidewalk without them.