This past Thursday morning started with a meeting at the Chassell Heritage Center. John Arnold who is the Historical Architect for the Keweenaw National Historical Park came down to meet with me and fellow Chassell Historical Organization board members Ed Kautto and Mat Moore to discuss our efforts to address the final piece of universal accessibility to the Heritage Center which involves getting from the building’s threshold to the first floor. Over the last several years we have done projects which have resulted in an ADA accessible ramp to the threshold connected to an ADA accessible parking area on the north side of the building. We also worked with U.P. Engineers and Architects on the development of a design for a platform elevator to address getting from the threshold to the first floor. The cost of implementing the design as well as its impact on storage and exhibit space caused us to set the project aside to examine other potential approaches such as a stairlift. We would learn from John that stairlifts are not considered to be ADA accessible. While we could pursue such an approach, a stairlift would not result in achieving our goal of universal accessibility. We re-examined the impact of a platform elevator and started looking at options for both storage and the impact on exhibit space. The feeling is that there are ways we can approach these challenges to make a platform elevator work. There are some grant opportunities that we can pursue in conjunction with funding we have raised to get this project moving. I will update you on these as we go along.
Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Celebration!
Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Celebration!
Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Celebration!
This past Thursday morning started with a meeting at the Chassell Heritage Center. John Arnold who is the Historical Architect for the Keweenaw National Historical Park came down to meet with me and fellow Chassell Historical Organization board members Ed Kautto and Mat Moore to discuss our efforts to address the final piece of universal accessibility to the Heritage Center which involves getting from the building’s threshold to the first floor. Over the last several years we have done projects which have resulted in an ADA accessible ramp to the threshold connected to an ADA accessible parking area on the north side of the building. We also worked with U.P. Engineers and Architects on the development of a design for a platform elevator to address getting from the threshold to the first floor. The cost of implementing the design as well as its impact on storage and exhibit space caused us to set the project aside to examine other potential approaches such as a stairlift. We would learn from John that stairlifts are not considered to be ADA accessible. While we could pursue such an approach, a stairlift would not result in achieving our goal of universal accessibility. We re-examined the impact of a platform elevator and started looking at options for both storage and the impact on exhibit space. The feeling is that there are ways we can approach these challenges to make a platform elevator work. There are some grant opportunities that we can pursue in conjunction with funding we have raised to get this project moving. I will update you on these as we go along.