Terrebonne works to make centers ADA compliant

When Houma’s Municipal Auditorium was built in 1957, and the Dumas Auditorium was constructed a year later, most people did not think about accessibility to public buildings and the difficulty those with various handicaps, or even the elderly, might have maneuvering inside any given structure, not to mention just gaining access.

It was not until 1990 that the Americans With Disabilities Act came into existence and required that all buildings open to the public be compliant with not only accessible entries, but a shopping list of federal regulations that would make businesses and public places less discriminatory against those with physical limitations.

Terrebonne Parish officials have been making an effort to see that more of their properties meet ADA standards, and officials announced last week that restrooms at these locations are ready for improvements.

“The restroom facilities are not handicap accessible,” said Anne Picou, parish event coordinator. “When [they] are used for hurricane evacuation it really becomes a chore for people, the elderly and so-forth, that need the bathrooms to be handicap [accessible].”

Beginning Dec. 1, and with a completion target of May 31, 2011, the Dumas Auditorium will undergo construction, at the approximate cost of $100,000 to make the restrooms fit ADA requirements. The facility will re-open to the public on June 1, 2011.

Structural restroom improvements are also planned for the Municipal Auditorium, which will be closed from Aug. 1, 2011, through Dec. 31, 2011, and will reopen to the public on Jan. 1, 2012. The cost of this project is expected to be near $240,000.

Changes that will make these facilities more usable include widening or doors that can be opened from a wheelchair as well as standing position, rearranging floor plans to enhance maneuverability, rebuilding sinks and installing new faucets, replacing toilets and urinals and restructuring stalls. Towel and toilet paper dispensers will also have to meet new standards as will the addition of new grab bars and mirrors.

“We’ve got some other projects we are trying to identify,” said parish facilities manager David Drury. “It’s kind of an ongoing project.”

Parish officials are making a push for structural improvements not only to make buildings easier for citizens to use, but also because doing so will help in securing federal funds for other projects.