helps Town Wins a $500,000 Grant
for ADA Accessible Trail
Welcome to our website.
Andover, MA Commission on Disability (ACOD) Mission
The Andover Commission on Disability is a committee of thirteen volunteers recommended by the Town Manager and appointed by the Select Board for a three-year term.
The majority (7) of the commission members must have a disability or be directly related to a person with disabilities.
Our Mission and Goals:
- We advise and assist town officials in addressing the needs of people with disabilities & in ensuring compliance with state and federal disability laws.
- We advocate for the full inclusiveness and participation of people with disabilities in the town of Andover.
- We sponsor projects aimed at helping people with disabilities.
- We provide information and referral to people with disabilities.
Recent Projects:
- We review all new municipal buildings, schools, playgrounds, parks, and conservation lands for Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance. Current reviews include West Elementary/Shawsheen Preschool and Andover High School.
- ADA Self Evaluation and ADA Transition Plan assistance.
- Program Access: we advise and assist in ensuring that all of the Town programs, services, and activities, when viewed in their entirety, are accessible to people with disabilities.
- Nason’s Landing: Andover’s first ADA Accessible Kayaking on the Shawsheen River.
- Shawsheen Pines renovations: assisted with the AAB Variance submittal. (Non–ADA compliant).
- Shawsheen River Master Plan: submitted, focused on people with disabilities: https://acod.mhl.org/
- Town’s Master Plan advocacy: advice and assistance focused on people with disabilities. https://andoverma.gov/887/Master-Plan-2023
- “StoryWalk:” Downtown Andover’s first accessible “StoryWalk.” StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children’s book are posted in the business’s windows, which are installed along Main Street in downtown. https://mhl.org/new-storywalk-wish-tree-kyo-maclear.
- Andover Day Booth – Annually in September. Stop by and get your freebies and talk to us.
- Worked with the town to bring Assistive Listening technology (Listen Everywhere) to Town Meeting and other municipal sites. Offerings include amplified speech and closed captioning.
- We hosted the Mass Office on Disability (MOD) Advanced ADA training.
- We hosted the MOD Regional Meeting for other Commission on Disability’s in the Merrimack Valley.
Projects In Process:
- Haggett’s Pond Rail Trail Planning for Andover’s first ADA Accessible trail. Town Outlines Plan for Haggetts Pond Rail Trail at Community Forum.
- Andover TV: Videos of Accessible Andover Resources available on our web at:
https://acod.mhl.org/acod-disability-resources-available-on-video/.
- Art, Culture & Placemaking including Andover Illuminates, repurpose Old Town Hall, a mural appropriately representing people with disabilities providing advice and assistance.
- https://andoverma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5242/Gamble-Associates-Strategic-Placemaking-Plan-October-16-2018?bidId=
- AAB Variance Process: a review of all AAB Variance requests. We have a vote on Andover building variance requests submitted to the state. https://www.mass.gov/architectural-access-board-variance
Future Projects:
- Dale Street Park & Picnic Area – ADA-compliant for people with disabilities.
- Dale Street ADA-compliant Pedestrian Bridge over the Shawsheen River
- Pomp’s Pond ADA Accessible Kayaking.
- Merrimack College Collaboration: Accessible Service and Community Engaged Learning [learning by doing community service.]
- Library Collaboration, including the Human Library Project, and My Own Voice Concert (a chorus of children with disabilities for December, 2023 holidays).
- Council on Aging Collaboration.
- Historic Mill District, MBTA Zoning, Housing, Transportation advocacy, advice, and assistance focused on people with disabilities.
- Communications: Newsletter, Andover Day, Outreach Tables, aimed at continuously educating the community in understanding ADA.
- Mass Office on Disability link continuously improved.
- Chandler Road Recreational Area in West Andover focused on people with disabilities.
- Proposed ADA boat launch and trail to the Merrimack River.
- AVIS properties; Deer Jump — All Persons Trail.
- AVIS properties; Goldsmith Reservation — All Persons Trail.
Meetings:
We meet at least once each month at 6:30 P.M. in the Memorial Hall or the activity room at Memorial Hall Library. Meetings are normally held on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Currently, we meet virtually using Zoom. See Calendar: https://andoverma.gov/, and Agenda for details: https://andoverma.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=7105&month=4&year=2023&day=23&calType=0
For more information; Contact the Chair through the Contact page.
The administrative and town piece of our web pages, including a downtown HP parking map, calendar, agendas, and minutes:
https://andoverma.gov/319/Commission-on-Disability