Committee Approves Plan to Improve Riverwalk

File number 081431 would allow the library to apply for a Public Library Innovation Grant which would be used to extend the summer reading program in to a year round program.  Alderman Joe Davis pointed out that he brought the grant to the library staff’s attention and said “they have a great success rate, that if we leading them to water, they know how to drink”.  This file was approved and will now go before the full Common Council.

What evidently has been a long an ongoing process to comply with a 2003 Department of Justice ruling in response to an American with Disabilities Act complaint will be going through another iteration.  The 14th Amendment to the Riverwalk Development Agreement for Business Improvement District 15 would increase the budget for accessibility to $4.8 million.  The original judgment included ten lifts, whereas the current plan will include six ramps and four lifts which should last better in Milwaukee’s climate.  Progress has been made toward complying with the ruling in that the first of the new ramps has been completed and the Mason St. ramp will be completed shortly.  This file was approved and will now go before the full Common Council.