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City creates plan to give disabled better view for fireworks
Messenger-Inquirer - 6/25/2022
Jun. 25—The city of Owensboro will have reserved the top floor of one of downtown's parking garages for people with disabilities during the Independence Day fireworks show on July 4.
The city will also provide transportation to and from the parking garage that night, for people with disabilities and mobility issues who want to visit Veterans Boulevard.
The issue was first brought up last year, when Mayor Tom Watson told commissioners he wanted to find a way to make city events downtown more accessible to people with mobility issues.
Watson said, during the "Great Race" stop last year, he witnessed several people who were elderly or had mobility issues struggling to reach downtown from their parking spaces.
Tim Ross, city public events director, said the top floor of the parking lot at Second and Locust streets near the Owensboro Convention Center would reserve its top floor for people with disability parking stickers on their vehicles.
Ross said people with stickers would be able to park on the garage's top floor and watch the fireworks from there.
"The mayor and commissioners have wanted to have more accessible parking available, so we are going to reserve the top floor of the parking garage" for people with disabilities, Ross said.
"The garage is open for anyone to park there, but the roof will be reserved for people with (disability) tags," Ross said.
The city will also have a free shuttle service from the parking garage to Veterans Boulevard.
Mayor Tom Watson said he would be shuttling people from the garage to Veterans Boulevard, likely in a large golf cart, between 7 and 10 p.m.
Watson said he wanted to help people with mobility issues enjoy the event while not having to cope with parking far away and walking downtown.
"I don't know what kind of crowd we are going to have, but I wanted to make the offer," Watson said. "I hate to see people who pay taxes struggle (during events) and can't get down there. I hope it will be useful."
James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
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