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CDBG testimony
My name is Heidi Gibson, and I am writing in support for Paris Gibson Square's request for CDBG funding. The restroom needing ADA accessibility upgrades is located in the Education Department on the lower level. This restroom is used by the most visitors on a daily basis, yet it is not accessible by wheelchair. The Square's motto is "Art is for Everyone," yet the restroom accessibility issue makes it difficult for those with physical limitations, many of which are enrolled in the Vision, Strength, Access, formerly known as the Very Special Arts (VSA) program. Last year, the number of participants almost doubled with a total of 452 students. The next Picasso could be the hands of a person in a wheelchair wearing a helmet. If we do not provide appropriate access for this person, we may never know the talents that lie inside. I have seen talented artists without hands who paint with their feet or their teeth. If we can make art education available to all, we can help cultivate the talents of all people, not just the ones who can make the best of the facility as it was built in 1895 during a time when people with disabilities were often sent away to large government funded institutions. Art therapy is one of the many ways that human services programs help people develop their talents.
Previous projects funded by CDBG dollars include the following:
2014-15 ADA Accessibility Building Improvement $8,300.00
2011-12 Education Department Supplies & Equipment $4,150.00
2010-11 Art is for Everyone – VSA Montana $3,500.00
2007-08 Art is for Everyone – VSA Montana $14,382.23
1997-98 Restroom Renovation – ADA Improvements $18,368.00
1981-82 Electronic Control for Boiler Ignition System $2,000.00
1977-78 Parking lot, curbs, walkways and exterior cleaning $15,000.00
I am very grateful to see a history of funding for the arts in our community, particular for this very special program called VSA. I am grateful to live in a community that supports the arts, for when I visit other communities where artists thrive ... it is usually the reflection of a thriving community. Let's encourage our up and coming artists so we may all thrive.
