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Photo Gallery: Walk, Talk, and Roll in Athens towards a more accessible city

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — On Friday, the Athens City Commission on Disabilities organized its fifth Walk, Talk, and Roll event in uptown Athens. The event aimed to address infrastructure issues that pose mobility challenges and provide a crucial venue for dialogue between business owners, community members, and the City of Athens.

Commission Chair Davy McNelly and Rob Delach led a group through town, examining real-life examples of both successful and problematic accessibility measures. The event emphasized that even minor redesigns can greatly enhance accessibility and requires joint efforts between businesses and the City.

To support the cause, the Commission has partnered with the City to promote an accessibility grant available to Athens businesses. This grant allows business owners to apply for up to $15,000 in funding for various accessibility improvements.

The Walk, Talk, and Roll 2023 event commenced at 11:30 a.m. in front of Passion Works Studio and concluded at Howard Park. Speakers included City Council President Chris Knisely, Commission Vice Chair Dianne Bouvier, Athens City Service-Safety Director Andy Stone, and Commission Chair Davey McNelly.

Participants gather to listen to Davey McNelly, chairperson for the Athens City Commission on Disabilities, at the Walk, Talk, and Roll event on June 9, 2023, in Athens, Ohio. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Participants gather in front of Passion Works Studio to listen to Davey McNelly, chairperson for the Athens City Commission on Disabilities, at the start of the Walk, Talk, and Roll event on June 9, 2023, in Athens, Ohio. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Participants cross Court Street in Athens, Ohio to assess the accessibility of the experience and discuss what needs to be changed during the Walk, Talk, and Roll event on June 9, 2023. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Participants cross Washington Street in Athens, Ohio during the Walk, Talk, and Roll event on June 9, 2023. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Participants gather at the intersection of Court Street and Washington Street in Athens, Ohio to discuss the accessibility of the walking experience in the city during the Walk, Talk, and Roll event on June 9, 2023. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Participants enter Howard Park, the last station of the Walk, Talk, and Roll event where a wider discussion about accessibility was held between the commission, community members, and business owners on June 9, 2023 in Athens, Ohio. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Sarah Doherty, Assistant Director for the LGBTQ center at Ohio University, talks about the challenges she faced as a person on a wheelchair to attend the Walk, Talk, and Roll event and the challenges she faces to go to some shops in Athens, Ohio because they are not accessible on June 9, 2023. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Group photo of the Athens City Commission on Disabilities at the Walk, Talk, and Roll event on June 9, 2023 in Athens, Ohio. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]