The funding won鈥檛 be enough, in and of itself, to make full-scale infrastructure improvements. Instead, it鈥檚 meant to help the towns figure out what resources they already have, and then market those resources to people who need them.
Advance knowledge is key for people with disabilities, said Bettina Hannigan, president and CEO of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce.
鈥淪o that when people come over to the coast, they know 鈥榟ey, I鈥檝e got a restaurant that鈥檚 going to be available, that I can go into,鈥�" she said. "Or 鈥業 can go into the events center and they鈥檙e going to have a hearing loop there.鈥欌��
The towns will partner with 鈥淲heel the World,鈥� a find accessible services when traveling.
"Sometimes it may not be the accessibility itself that needs to be improved, but the awareness of what different locations have," said Hannigan. That's where the partnership with Wheel the World comes into play.
Aside from Florence, the other communities receiving an accessibility grant are Astoria-Warrenton, Lincoln City, Coos Bay-North Bend-Charleston, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport and Yachats.
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