Town of Pembroke ADA Transition Plan

The sites below are ADA Compliance surveys conducted by Weston & Sampson of 12 publicly owned sites in the Town of Pembroke, Massachusetts. The Town is in the process of developing an ADA Compliance Plan pursuant to Federal guidelines that address potential barriers to public services.  

The Town sites evaluated were:

  1. Community Center - 128 Center Street
  2. Council on Aging - 144 Center Street 
  3. Fire Station Headquarters - 172 Center Street
  4. Herring Run Park - 211 Barker Street 
  5. Library - 142 Center Street 
  6. Little Sandy Beach - Woodbine Avenue
  7. Luddam's Ford Park - West Elm Street 
  8. Police Station - 80 Center Street 
  9. Stetson Pond - 350 Plymouth Street 
  10. Town Hall - 100 Center Street 
  11. Town Landing Beach - 183 Wampatuck Street 
  12. Tubb's Meadow - Monroe Street

Several general surveys and guidance documents have been developed. The survey team used Institute for Human Centered Design survey materials and experience with applicable architectural and recreational facility standards to guide both observations and measurements. Additional general information was acquired from the town and the state’s GIS map of the area. Data and observations included location and use of site, condition of the site and surrounding area, site and facility access, external barriers to access, and internal barriers to access and use. For each site, both short-term and long-term improvements to address access issues were provided.Typical short-term recommendations for recreational facilitates include upgrading paths using temporary mats or compacted materials, providing accessible portable toilet facilities, and providing clearly marked handicapped parking and access. Typical long-term recommendations at recreational locations included design and replacement of access ramps to swimming areas, replacing docks and floats, and design and installation of accessible permanent restroom facilities at heavily used areas. Town buildings range from new, and fully ADA compliant (the Library) to older, repurposed facilities (the Recreation Center) that would need require extensive modifications to meet ADA standards. Typical short-term improvements include improved markings and signage for ADA compliant parking, improving existing access ramps, upgrading doorways or installing power door operators, upgrading door hardware in areas providing direct access to public services.  Long-term improvements include reconfiguring internal door openings, enlarging and reconfiguring restroom facilities, relocating essential public services to accessible floors.

Recommendations specific to each facility are provided in the attachments to this memorandum.          

 www.HumanCenteredDesign.org  The checklist was developed under a grant from the Department of Education, NIDRR grant number H133A060092-09A. Materials available at: www.ADAchecklist.org Absent formal definition of short-term and long-term, we used the following for developing recommendations: Short-term improvements could be achieved within one or two recreation seasons or years. Long-term improvements would include planning, design and possible engineering before construction and would likely take more than 3 years