WADDINGTON –The town will apply for up to $12,000 from Iroquois Gas Transmission Systems to improve wheelchair access to the Old Town Hall.

Installing a wheelchair lift is part of the town’s multi-stage project to improve the 130-year-old building’s accessibility.

“The most important thing at this time is that we make the building accessible before we move forward with the other stages,” Councilor Robert Dalton said.

The building’s top floor contains a hall used primarily for weddings, concerts and private parties.

The bottom floor houses the Waddington Neighborhood Center and Chamber of Commerce. Both floors are only accessible by stairs.

The town has been working to construct handicapped access to the building since a 2011 conditions assessment review identified it as one of the building’s major deficiencies.

However, a lack of state funding has been a major setback for the project.

Last year, the town applied for a $210,000 grant with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation, but was denied.

Mr. Dalton said with town might have more success this year with a new, less expensive plan.

At this week’s meeting, the town board approved Crawford & Stearns, Watertown and Syracuse, to draw up final plans for the handicap access lift to be submitted to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation for approval before applying for the grant.

“Randy Crawford is fairly confident they will approve what he came up with,” Mr. Dalton said.

This year, the town has also applied for an additional $20,000 community development grant from the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency.

The town was already approved for a $50,000 matching grant by the River Agency last year, contingent upon state funding.

The River Agency is expected to announce its grant recipients in April.

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