63°F
weather icon Clear

Renovations to make City Hall more accessible

Council chambers in City Hall are going to be renovated to make the area more accessible for people with disabilities.

Recently, City Council approved a project in the five-year capital improvement plan to renovate the area. The project will begin sometime this month.

“We are working on making City Hall more accessible for people with disabilities,” said Communications Manager Lisa LaPlante. “This will include creating a closed doorway along the east interior wall of council chambers that will allow people to utilize the wheelchair ramp during meetings.”

Currently, the only entrance that is wheelchair accessible is behind the council members’ seats.

“The north entry doorway has presented ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) issues, safety issues and its use has interrupted meetings in the past,” said LaPlante. “Outside City Hall, curb cutting, additional parking spots, ramp installations and concrete removal and replacements will improve ADA access for residents.”

Public Works Director Keegan Littrell presented the project to council in April.

“The whole building has been struggling with ADA access,” he said.

He said the new doorway would lead to a hallway so that people could use the entrance and come into the building and then council chambers without disturbing the meeting. The council seating would stay in the same area.

“We also plan to modernize the interior of council chambers by updating lighting for more energy-efficient lights, as well as removing the wood paneling inside chambers and replacing it with drywall,” said LaPlante.

She said there is $155,000 available in the acquisitions and improvements fund for the project.

“Work begins next month, but the entire project could last into the fall,” she added.

When the program was approved for the capital improvement plan, all the council members supported making the building more ADA accessible.

“Accessibility in this room has to be addressed,” said Councilman James Howard Adams.

“This building was built in the 1930s,” said Mayor Kiernan McManus. “It’s a magnificent building but needs change over that period of time.”

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

THE LATEST
Former fire chief Gray discusses termination

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind for the city, and specifically the fire department, as questions of whether or not Will Gray was still employed as that department’s chief spread through town.

Breeding proposal breeds opposition

Judging by the number of people speaking out against it during public comment at the last city council meeting and the tone of numerous social media posts, the proposal to allow for licensed pet breeders to operate in Boulder City is itself breeding a growing opposition. And the opposition appears to be spilling over into other pet-centric issues, including the fact that, unlike anywhere else in Clark County, Boulder City does not require dogs to be on a leash in public.

Wanted: A good home for theater seats

For those who have either grown up in Boulder City or are longtime residents, the Boulder City Theatre holds a special place in the hearts of many.

Hangars and OHVs and pool people, oh my

In a meeting with only two council members present in the room (and the other three on the phone) and in which the major attention was divided between a contentious possible law concerning pets and the fact that the city manager had announced he was leaving for a new job on the East Coast, the council did take a series of other notable actions.

Look, up in the sky…

Ron Eland/Boulder City Review

Council hears plan for golf course turf reduction

Reducing water usage in Southern Nevada has been a subject that has affected the look of clean, green Boulder City multiple times in the past year.

City confirms fire chief no longer employed

After more than two weeks of inquiries by the Boulder City Review, late Tuesday afternoon the city confirmed that Boulder City Fire Chief Will Gray is no longer employed.

Residents weigh in on 99 Cents Store’s shuttering

In what came as a surprise to many who are frequent shoppers, officials from 99 Cents Only Stores announced last week that all of their 371 locations will be closing over the next several weeks.

Four suspects arrested in graffiti case

On Jan. 22, many residents were shocked by a rash of graffiti throughout town, which included the historic Boulder City Theatre.