Greenwich celebrates a ‘momentous day’ for people with disabilities
GREENWICH — The town marked a monumental anniversary Monday as officials and residents gathered outside The Café at the Greenwich Library to celebrate the July 27, 1990, signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“This is a momentous day,” said. Alan Gunzburg, chair of the First Selectman’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities.
“This law brought forth a lot of changes for people who, up until that point, were sometimes warehoused and sometimes thought as secondclass citizens. They definitely didn’t have the rights of others,” he said.
The act was signed into federal law by President George H.W. Bush, who grew up in Greenwich.
The law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local governments’ programs and services.
The library café is operated by Abilis, a Greenwich-based nonprofit that serves more than 800 individuals with special needs and their families throughout Fairfield County. The café employs 24 Abilis program participants.
“We are very grateful to our community members and leaders for ensuring equity, inclusion and opportunities and really making sure the quality of life for those that we support in our community is at its highest,” Amy Montimurro, Abilis’ president and CEO, said at the ceremony.
Gunzburg said the recently complected renovations at the Greenwich Library, including the new entrance by the café and the new theater, make for a far more accessible building.
Linda Fildes provided sign-language interpretation of the ceremony as First Selectman Fred Camillo read a proclamation declaring July 26, 2021, to be Americans with Disabilities Day in Greenwich.
“While there is a lot to celebrate and a lot of progress has been made, this is a reminder that it’s still an every day obligation,” Camillo said.
When a new building is built or changed, or a tree is planted or taken down, “those of us who can get around OK and have access there must see to it that those who have a harder time getting around enjoy those same rights,” he said.
“It’s something we celebrate, but we also keep our eye on the ball going forward,” Camillo said.
He was joined at the ceremony by state Reps. Kimberly Fiorello, R-149, and Stephen Meskers, D-150, as well as Deputy Commissioner of Public Works James Michel, Community Development Director Tyler Farbarin and town Senior Civil Engineer Jason Kaufman. Democratic state Senate candidate Alexis Gevanter also attended.