Funding for updates to make meeting space handicap accessible; renovations will assist and safeguard disabled veterans
Assemblyman Joseph A. Errigo (R,C,I,Ref-Conesus) was joined by Rayson-Miller American Legion Post #899 Commander Al Herdklotz, Pittsford Village Mayor Bob Corby and Pittsford Town Supervisor Bill Smith last Friday (March 9) to announce a $100,000 State and Municipal Facilities Program (SAM) grant awarded to the Village of Pittsford. The funding will be used to transform the lower level of Pittsford Village Hall, used primarily by the American Legion Rayson-Miller Post #899, into a fully handicap-accessible space.
“The announcement of the State and Municipal Facilities Program grant is a tremendous step toward providing fair and equal access for the handicapped into Village Hall and it is the least we can do for the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Errigo. “Village Hall has been out of date and out of compliance for too long and it has left many disabled and handicapped members of our community from accessing this space completely. I would like to thank Commander Herdklotz, the American Legion, as well as all of our local leaders who worked with us to make this grant a reality, and I am confident this funding will allow them to continue to make a positive impact on our community.”
The grant will bring much-needed upgrades to Village Hall, including the redesign and construction of the second entrance and exit and updating the existing restrooms to meet accessibility standards. SAM grants can be used for the payment of capital costs of construction, improvement, rehabilitation or reconstruction of facilities owned by eligible entities.
“For the last three years or so, I’ve watched as our elderly members struggled to enter and exit Village Hall and I knew something had to be done,” said Herdklotz. “I can’t thank Assemblyman Errigo enough for taking the time to listen and speak up for all of us in Albany. Not only will this funding allow for easier access into Village Hall, but it will allow us to continue giving back to the community we love.”
“This lovely historic building, also known as the ‘Wiltsie House,’ was once owned by Mary Emily Wiltsie Fields, who had a vision that her home would provide a space for all members of the Pittsford community,” said Corby. “This grant will be instrumental in providing much-needed updates so we can continue that vision. I have no doubt that this funding will provide better access and allow for a more functional space that will continue the collaborative efforts to make our entire community a better place to live and raise a family.”
“The improvements made possible by the SAM grant and the efforts of Assemblyman Errigo will go a long way toward creating a safer and more accessible environment for the members of Post #899,” said Smith. “This grant award is yet another example of the strong partnership that exists between the Pittsford community and our state representatives, which has already fostered transformative projects such as the East Avenue sidewalk expansion and the construction of new playgrounds and pavilions at our town parks.”
In previous years, Pittsford has been a beneficiary of SAM grants that have gone toward local community development projects. In 2016, $540,000 was awarded to the Town of Pittsford for the East Avenue Sidewalk Expansion project, and the previous year the town was awarded $225,000 for the construction and renovation of the area’s town parks.
All construction and renovations to the space are expected to be completed by the end of the construction season next year.
Assemblyman Errigo represents the 133rd District, which consists of Livingston and parts of Steuben and Monroe counties.
