When the city of Durango, CO, realized that many businesses in its historic downtown buildings were not as accessible as they should be, municipal and downtown leaders took action.”The approach we are trying to take is that good access is good business. Places that are accessible to people with disabilities are also more accessible to people with their arms full, seniors, those who use baby strollers, and those with temporary injuries,” says Sherri Dugdale, assistant to the city manager.The first step was forming the Accessible Communities Team (A.C.T.) which includes representatives from several city agencies, the Durango BID, the Chamber of Commerce, and others.
The group provides two types of assistance to business owners. The first is an accessibility assessment and recommendations. The second is a 50/50 matching grant of up to $2,000 to make improvements. The grants are funded by the city.
To enlist businesses in the program, A.C.T. members paid personal calls to downtown businesses to explain the process and funding opportunities.
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